Rebirth
by JD-503
Summary: The pack has been stalked for quite some time by two mysterious vampires that were supposed to be part of Vicotria's army. Things make a turn for the worst as the pack realizes the vampires are after Leah and will do anything at all costs to get her. *Blackwater.*
1. I need you

** H**

Chapter one: I need you

* * *

Leah's POV

I'm walking by myself down the beach, watching the sunset. There's no on else outside but me because it's too cold out here for a _normal_ person. The guys are all at Sam and Emily's for a barbecue. I was invited, of course, but would rather stab myself repeatedly than attend their stupid barbecue. I'd just ruin it for everyone anyway, the guys hate me. I can see it in their eyes, hear it in their thoughts. They want me gone. Why would I want to attend a barbecue hosted by the one man that broke my heart and my so called best friend that stole him from me, anyway? I'd rather dig a hole and bury myself alive.

I look around at the deserted beach and go back to my routine of thinking about how screwed up my life is. I take a seat on the warm sand and let the cool breeze rush past me. I close my eyes and let my head fall back. Memories of him flood my head, all the promises he made, the happiness we shared, the love that use to be. I snap my eyes open and find that I'm on all fours, coughing and panting. I'm suffocating, these memories are slowly killing me. The worst part is I'm okay with it because these memories of him are all I have left.

I stand up, trying to shake the images out of my head, and head towards the water. I roll my pants up to my knees and walk into the water, watching the waves crash against each other. I look towards the horizon watching the sun disappear. The wind whips at my hair furiously, and the ocean mist gently sprays my skin. I close my eyes, clear of all thoughts, finally at peace, A smile spreads across my face.

"LEAH!"

Damn. I turn around and find Jacob and Embry walking towards me. Jesus, what do these clowns want now?

I scowl realizing my moment of peace is eternally gone. I sigh in frustration, seeing them snicker and whisper things. I roll my eyes and turn back towards the ocean. I stand there waiting for whatever the two idiots have to say to me. Ready to just take it in and walk away, I'm too tired to get into an argument today.

I hear their footsteps nearing, so I turn around to face them.

"What do you want?" I ask sighing, too tired to sound like a bitch.

They both look taken aback by my tone. Embry backs up and pushes Jacob up to speak.

"Trust me Clearwater, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Sam..." he starts, eyeing her expression with a thoughtful look.

Yes, I'm aware that you two are not here willingly, but thank you anyway for informing me. Assholes.

"...he wants you at the barbecue, and it's not a request, it's an order."

What the hell? He's fucking _ordering_ me to go to his damn barbecue?! What. A. Tool.

"Look, I'm tired, I was just about to go home to get some rest," I say dangerously calm, narrowing my eyes at them.

Embry's eyes widen and he takes a few more voluntary steps back. Jacob on the other hand smirks, his eyes brightening with amusement.

"Well that's too bad. He said if you refuse, me and Embry have to carry you to his house. So it's either walk there with what dignity you have left, or let me or Embry carry you there," he said, his eyes mocking.

I stand there glaring at the both of them. I twitch my leg purposely to see if they really would follow through with Sam's orders. Wrong move. Jacob already had me cradled in his arms. He looks down at my furious face and laughs. _Laughs!_

"Alright kid, I'll go, just put me down," I say through clenched teeth.

I can't believe after 5 minutes of talking to Jacob and Embry, I've managed to get too pissed off to even feel tired anymore. Actually, scratch that last, I can believe it. Idiots.

"You can't call me a kid Clearwater, look who's in who's arms," he smirks.

He lets me down but not before dusting off my shoulders in a mocking gesture. That jack-off.

I start to speed walk in the direction of Sam's house trying to get away from them, but they had caught up easily. I eventually start to run, still in attempt to lose them. They couldn't catch me if their lives depended on it. Jacob only got to me fast enough on the beach because I was tired.

I reach Sam's house in a heartbeat, and once I get to the door I hesitate. I stood there in front of the door frozen. Normally we all just barge in, not worrying about petty things such as doorbells, but right now I'm by myself and I don't want to face Sam or Emily on my own right now. No way.

"You push the doorbell Clearwater, just so you know," Jacob says as he pushes the unnecessary bell, loving the suspense it was giving as we waited for someone to answer.

Fucking prick.

"I know what to do, jackass."

He glanced at me with that infuriating smirk of his but said nothing.

We heard footsteps approaching the door. I hoped to God it was anyone but Sam or Emily. The door opens and there's a wide-eyed Sam. He looks over at Jacob and Embry, giving him almost what looks to be an impressed look of appraisal. Douche bag.

"Leah! I'm so glad you cou-"

"Whatever. I'm only here 'cause it was an order," I say effectively cutting him off and walking right past him into the living room.

And here comes the tension. I feel claustrophobic, there's way too many people in this tiny room, and to top it off, they all hate me. I sit in one of the chairs in the corner of the room, occupying myself with a loose thread on my shirt. I can feel the eyes of people on me like daggers, but I ignore it like the non-caring person I am. I'm too damn proud to show emotion in front of any of them. Then the worst happened. Sam took a seat next to me.

"Leah..." he begins.

Fantastic. I was dreading this part. A Sam and Leah talk. Awesome.

* * *

**Jacob's POV**

"Paul, pass me a coke," I yell, raising my hand ready to catch it.

"Catch!" he shouts, throwing the coke over Emily's head from across the room.

"Thanks man," I say, catching it with my left hand.

He nods, cowering away from Emily's withering glare.

"You two will not play catch with food or drinks in this house. Understood?" she scolded all mom-like, hands on hips and all.

"Yes ma'am," we say in unison.

Jared and Quil walk by snorting at us as Sam walked in to wrap his arms around Emily's waist. I look away feeling awkward and like I'm intruding their privacy or something.

"Is everyone here?" Sam asks.

"Everyone but Leah," Paul says, sounding bored.

That's not a surprise. We all knew Leah would skip the barbecue, it wasn't expected that she came.

Emily's face fell, "I wish she would come around once in a while."

"Where is she anyway?" Sam asks, a look of worry etched on his face. I resist the urge to roll my eyes at him. The man needed to get a grip.

"Who Leah? I saw her at the beach on my way here," Embry says taking a seat next to me to join our conversation.

"And you didn't ask if she wanted to come?" Sam asked, annoyance evident in his tone.

"No, we already know she doesn't want to," Embry shrugged.

"But it would make her feel good to have an open invitation," Emily said.

_Actually, I'm pretty sure she just doesn't care, _I thought.

"I don't think anyone would've been able to convince her to come Em," Embry said.

Emily sighs, defeated, "I know, I just miss her..."

"Not true," Seth pipes up, "if you annoy her enough, she'll probably give in. I do it all the time," Seth says, stealing Embry's burger.

"Get your own man, I just made that," Embry whines.

"Nah," Seth says, before running out of the house with Embry on his tail.

"You think if one of you annoy her enough she'd come?" Sam asks amused by the idea.

If this guy is seriously considering this idea, he won't ever hear the end of it from Leah.

"One of us? Your joking right?" Paul asked, scowling.

"No, actually I'm not. Which one of you will do it?" Sam was smirking now. _Smirking._

Why couldn't this couple leave Leah alone? It's because of this kind of bullshit that she feels the need to torture us when we shift.

"What the hell, Sam! This is stupid, she doesn't even wanna fucking be here!" Paul argued, tremors already going down his back. No self-control at all.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Jake?"

Aw, shit. Not me. Leah and I both wanna tear each other's throats out!

"Seriously, Sam?" I ask, hopeful that he'll let the topic drop. But noooo, anything the imprintee wants, the imprintee gets.

"Will you do it? I'll take you off patrol for 2 days."

Damn it, that sounds like a good deal. I've been needing to catch up on some sleep. But this is a suicide mission.

"I don't know Sam..." I say, slowly.

"2 nights off, and you can take Embry with you."

Well, hell! If I don't have to face the wrath of Leah alone, then it's a deal!

"Alright, but ONLY if Embry comes." I say, emphasizing my requirement of this voluntary job. It's a job. A very hard task. This is Leah Clearwater. Nothing is every easy with that one.

"Thanks Jake," Emily says, beaming.

"Your welcome, Em."

I get up and walk to the door. I was reaching for the door knob when I realized something.

"Why Embry, Sam?" I ask curiously.

Sam laughed, "because he saw her at the beach and said nothing to her."

"Right." I suppose that makes sense.

I opened the door and let myself out, looking up at the now pinkish sky.

"Embry!" I hollered.

"Yo!" he yelled back.

"C'mon, we needa go find Clearwater. Sam's orders."

"Aw dude, are you serious?! She doesn't give two shits about the barbecue!"

"I know man, calm down. He just wants us to annoy her and see if she'll change her mind. If she doesn't change her mind after 20 minutes we'll just head back," I reasoned, but had a hard time seeing the logic in this plan myself.

"Whatever," he says, clearly not believing this was going to end well.

"You think she's still at the beach?"

"Yeah, when I saw her she was just sitting there..." he says with a slight frown, "Leah's weird."

"Extremely."

We walked the whole way there thinking of what to say to her. Everything we came up with was lame, and we both knew damn well she'd punch us both in the face if we said anything regarding Sam. Unless of course, it was pack business.

Once we reached the beach I froze. The beach was deserted except for one girl, but that couldn't be Leah. The girl I saw standing in the water was smiling at the horizon with her eyes shut. Her hair was flowing in the wind which was weird, because it's been so long since any of us have seen her with her hair down. It was usually in a ponytail or a messy bun. From back here she looked like an actual girl, like how she use to look before the Sam and Emily drama.

"What's she doing?" Embry asked, looking at her with curiosity.

I shrugged. I really head no idea.

"LEAH!" I yelled.

She turned around and scowled when she saw us. I grinned at that. _There's_ the Leah we know. Embry and I walked towards her as she turned her back on us to face the ocean once more. When we got close enough she turned around. She didn't look pissed, just annoyed. Understandable.

"What do you want?" she sighed.

Whoa!

She's not yelling at us. This is new. What is up with her today?

Embry took a step back and pushed me forward. Ha, he probably thinks she's gonna hit us or something.

_Which of course she very well could if she wanted._

"Trust me Clearwater, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Sam..." I started, already regretting my words immediately.

Fuck my life. I wasn't suppose to mention him. I didn't come all the way here to get kicked in the balls. I waited for the hit, but it never came.

Well since I already opened my big mouth, I might as well finish. Right?

"...he wants you at the barbecue, and it's not a request, it's an order." I stated.

Good, that should work. She can't turn down an order. And it wasn't like I was mocking her about Sam. But that doesn't change the fact that I pissed her off. I saw fury fly across her face. Again, I waited for the hit, but it never came.

"I'm tired, I was just about to go home," she said in the most scariest calmest voice I've ever heard.

I saw Embry's eyes widen from the corner of my eye and saw him take a few voluntary steps back. I, however, suddenly felt very amused with her. I found myself smirking at her, wondering how far I could get away with today, with her new calm demeanor.

"Well that's too bad. He said if you refuse, me and Embry have to carry you to his house. So it's either walk there with what dignity you have left, or let me or Embry carry you there," I have no idea what has gotten into me, but I just really feel the need to push her, to test how far I could go.

She looked me in the eyes, knowing that I was purposely trying to aggravate her, but serious, nonetheless.

She stood still for a second, testing me. She moved her leg, attempting to run, but I caught her and pulled her into my arms and lifted her up, cradling her like a baby.

I laughed out loud when I saw that she was fuming, but couldn't help but notice how perfectly she seemed to fit in my arms.

Which was an_ incredibly_ weird thing to even think about...

"Alright kid, I'll go, just put me down," she said through clenched teeth.

Kid? Big blow to my ego.

"You can't call me kid anymore Clearwater, look who's in who's arms," I reasoned, smirking.

I set her down and she walked off on her own with me and Embry on her tail. Embry cocked and eyebrow at me, but I thought nothing of it. I knew what he was thinking, and I was doing my best to ignore it. She started speed walking, but we kept right on her tail. _Oh how annoying she must find me and Embry._

She kept going faster, increasing her speed 'till she actually started running. That's when we stopped following her, I mean there's no point in trying, she'll just outrun us like she always does. Show-off.

We'll just tell Sam we couldn't convince her to come.

"Dude, why were you acting all weird with Leah?" Embry asked, studying my face.

And there it is.

Play stupid or tell him the truth, that I myself don't know the answer to? Decisions, decisions...

Play stupid it is, "what are you talking about man?"

"I'm not an idiot dude, I saw the look you were give her. You got a thing for Leah?" Wait, he thinks I have a _thing _for Leah?

Embry is brain-dead, I don't know what the hell he's thinking assuming I like Leah!

"No, Call. I don't," I say, eyeing him with confusion.

Embry narrowed his eyes at me, "keep telling yourself that, man."

I don't have a thing for Leah, she was just...different today. And I liked that different.

When we reached Sam's house we saw her standing on the porch making no movement.

Is she...paralyzed?

"What's she doing now?" Embry asked.

"No idea," I said, my eyes never leaving her figure.

Embry and I walked up behind her confused. Why wasn't she going in? That's what we usually do.

"You push the doorbell Clearwater, just so you know," I said, deciding to be a smartass. She looked uncomfortable, so I, of course - with my new dangerous confidence that could easily get me badly injured by her - took this chance to make the suspense of almost unbearable. I rang the doorbell and hoped Sam or Emily would answer, just so I could read the expression on her face.

Not that I care what her expression means, I just wanna see her face.

"I know what to do, jackass," she snapped.

I smirked, loving that I was annoying her.

Sam opened the door with wide eyes. He almost did a double take at Leah. I rolled my eyes at his reaction.

He turned to Leah and grinned, "Leah! I'm so glad you cou-"

"Whatever, I'm only here 'cause it was an order," she said cutting him off and walking right past him.

I bit back a laugh that was bubbling it's way to the surface and noticed Embry had an amused smirk on his face.

"Order?! You told her it was an order?!" Sam half-whispered, half-yelled, infuriated.

"Well...it sort of slipped out, and at least she's here..." I smiled sheepishly.

Sam sighed, "now she definitely hates me. Go on in, find a seat."

Embry and I walked in and took our seats by Quil and Seth. Sam on the other hand went and took a seat by Leah. I don't see this going well at all.

Leah let out an irritated breath of air, looking frustrated. I knew how this conversation would go, Sam says something, Leah gets mad, Sam apologizes, Leah gets angrier and storms out. _Booo-ring. _I went to get some food, I was starved. When I got back to my seat I heard Leah gasp. Now _that, _that's something you don't hear from Leah very often. My head snapped in her direction. She gave me the worst death glare I've ever seen in my life. I'm guessing Sam told her coming here wasn't an order. I smiled sheepishly at her, getting the bird in reply.

She stood up but Sam pulled her back down and whispered something in her ear, making her freeze. I saw her give a stiff nod at him as she stared at Seth.

Sam walked away with a troubled look in his eye. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a drink for Leah and sat with her again. He attempted to engage in a conversation. He didn't progress much, she really didn't seem interested in a conversation. I watched his attempts of making her laugh and fail miserably.

Emily walked out of the kitchen towards Sam and Leah. I saw Leah's eyes widen in horror at the sight of her cousin. Emily strode past the radio and froze.

_"Oh, I love this song!" she squealed._

_She walked back to the radio and turned it all the way up._

_"I need you like water, like breath, like rain,_

_I need you like mercy from from heavens gate,_

_There's a freedom in your arms that carries me through,_

_I need you."_

"Em, no! Turn that off!" Sam said, his voice cracking.

Leah got up and walked out of the house with a stoic face. Sam ran to the radio knocking it off the shelf and accidentally increasing the volume.

He looked at her empty seat and fell to his knees, "DAMN! LEAH!"

He sighed and headed for his room.

"This was our song..." he whispered before going into his room.

We all knew what he meant. We didn't need to be told twice, we all understood how much they loved each other We all knew how much they both hurt, and this song proved how intense their relationship was and still is. They still love each other, just not the same way as it was before. But that doesn't mean they don't remember...

I stood up staring out the open door. I felt the urge to go after her. But I knew that'd just put her into an even worse mood than she is now. Why do I all of sudden care so much about her?! I will not fall for Leah Clearwater, I can't!

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you liked it! Please review, this is my first fanfiction, so I'd appreciate some critiquing. You can be harsh, no worries, I'd enjoy that :) Thanks for reading!


	2. Why not me?

Chapter two: Why not me?

* * *

_"So when you look in the mirror as I pass you by,_

_you see yourself, a lonely cry,_

_take a harder look what's left inside, _

_why not me?" - Varsity Fanclub  
_

* * *

**Jacob's POV**

I woke up around 2 in the afternoon today. I couldn't really recall anything from last night. After Leah had left, everything seemed like a blur to me. All I remember is coming home and passing out. Long night. My mind kept drifting back to Leah and what had happened to her.

"Jake!" Billy yelled from the living room.

"Yeah?"

"Jared's on the phone!"

"Be right out!"

I slipped on a pair of shorts and a wife beater and flung the door open, swiftly picking up the phone from the table, "hello?"

"Oh hey, dude, you wanna go cliff diving with us later today?" Jared asked.

"Uh, yeah. Who's all going?"

"Me, Paul, Seth, Embry, Quil, and Sam."

Well since I have nothing else to do today...

"Yeah, I'll go. What time?"

"3, and we're meeting at Seth's."

"Really?" I asked, suddenly excited.

Wait, what the hell? Why am I suddenly excited, I go cliff diving _all the time_. It's nothing new.

_Don't kid yourself, you know your only excited to see her_.

"Uh...yeah...you okay?" Jared said, slowly, the confusion evident in his tone.

"I'm fine, see you later." I mentally slapped myself.

"Kay, bye."

"Bye."

"What'd he say?" Billy asked.

"He asked if I wanted to go cliff diving."

"Are you?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"Yep. I'm gonna go get ready. I'll see you later."

"Alright, have fun."

I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth thoroughly and splashed water on my face. I combed my fingers through my hair and was out the front door by 2:30. I met Embry halfway to the Clearwater's house and walked the rest of the way there with him.

"You just woke up." It wasn't a question. He was smirking.

"How can you tell?"

"Your shorts are inside out," he laughed, grinning widely.

"Damn it! Fuck it, I'll change once we get to the house," I said shrugging off my stupid mistake.

"What's the rush? Anxious to see Leah?" he teased, but there was a seriousness to his voice.

_Yes. _"I already told you dude, I don't have a thing or _anything_ to do with Leah."

"Uh huh," he scoffed, "keep telling yourself that."

We were the last ones to reach the Clearwater house. I scanned the room but there was no sign of her.

"You guys ready to leave?" Sam asked. There was a chorus of "yeah's" from around the room in response.

Leah walked through the door with a bag of groceries and I could feel my smile stretching across my face at the sight of her. She left her hair down again.

"What the hell are you all doing in my house?" she snapped, her hands tightening around the bags she was carrying.

"Hey Lee, we were just about to go cilff diving. You wanna come?" Seth asked, sounding hopeful.

"No."

_Damn._

"C'mon Leah, it'll be fun," he pleaded, taking the bags from her and following her into the kitchen.

_Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes._

"10 bucks says she's not coming," Paul said.

"10 bucks says she will, she can't say no to Seth," Jared challenged.

We all went quiet trying to eavesdrop on the conversation going on in the kitchen. We couldn't hear a thing. They were probably aware of the fact that we were listening in.

"Kiss that 10 goodbye, Jared," Paul snickered.

"Not a chance, P-"

"YES! THANK YOU LEE!" Jared was interrupted by Seth's cries of delight. We watched Leah walk into the room and stomp up the stairs as Seth bounced into the living room looking accomplished.

"Paul you owe Jared 10 bucks," Seth stated.

Paul grudgingly took a 10-dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it to Jared.

"Thank you," Jared said, fanning himself with his prize.

"What'd you say to get her to come?" Sam asked.

"Nothing, I just begged and gave her the puppy-dog look," he beamed.

I gotta give it to the kid, he knew how to get to his sister better than anyone. Seth's the only person in the pack that knows certain things about Leah even Sam doesn't know about. The kids a master at shielding his mind and I'm more than sure Leah is thankful he has developed such a talent. Otherwise we'd all know her little secrets.

Leah walked down the stairs in shorts and a loose fitting shirt with her bathing suit underneath. She grabbed Seth's arm and walked out the door without a word.

We walked up the cliffs in a big group, everyone eager to jump into the cool ocean. Everyone except Leah. Seth put an arm around her in encouragement, and she gave him a weak smile in response. We reached the top of the cliffs, and at once everyone jumped off the cliff, leaving me and Leah alone.

She sat on a rock and stared down at the ocean. My eyes were glued to her, I couldn't bring myself to look away. My eyes traveled up her long exotic legs, to her well defined chest, and her luscious wavy locks. I stood mesmerized by the sun illuminating her tanned skin, and the way her long lashes brushed her cheekbones when she blinked. I always thought Leah was attractive, actually everyone thought she was hot, myself included. But seeing her now, I can only describe her as _beautiful. _Not the kind of beautiful you use when your hitting on someone, I'm talking about the kind of beautiful you use when you can't find any other word to describe beauty itself.

I guess there's no use fighting myself. I'm pretty sure I'm falling for Leah Clearwater, and I don't know how I feel about that.

But why? Why do I all of a sudden like her? We can't stand each other. She _hates_ me. And I hate her just as much.

"Enjoying the view?" she snapped.

"What? Uh, no, yes...uh, why'd you leave last night?" _Smooth, real smooth._

"And this is any of your business because?"

_I don't know, 'cause I like you, maybe? _"I was curious," I said, inching closer to her.

"Well it's none of your God damn business. Get out of my face."

"So?"

"Did you not hear me? It's none of your concern. _Go. Away._"

_It is if you let it. _"So...let it be."

She turned to face me, furious. "Just what the fuck are you playing at, Black?"

"I'm trying to figure out, why you were acting so weird yesterday," I shrugged, taking a seat on the rock next to her.

"So you can have something new to gossip about when you're on patrol." It wasn't a question. She really was convinced my intention of getting close to her was so the pack could have some sort of entertainment.

_Ouch. _

"That was a low blow, Leah, I'm not_ Paul_," I growled, already beginning to get frustrated with her. Damn, this woman!

"Then who exactly are you trying to be?" she asked, not bothering to hide the malice in her voice.

"No one, shit! Can't I just have a decent conversation with you for once?!" I yelled, turning to fully face her furious face.

"No," she hissed, "you can't!"

"Why the fuck not?" I glowered, "why do you have pull the bitch card on us all the time? Can't you let go and be happy for once?"

_No! I didn't mean that!_

"Because," she seethed, "you're the king of assholes. _You_ were the mastermind who founded "bitter harpy" as my nickname. Honestly, what in your right mind makes you think I trust you? You brought me to Sam's barbecue telling me it was a damn order!" Her face was red and she was trying her hardest to keep the tremors slightly sliding down her back at bay.

Guilt swept over me as she threw everything I threw at her right back in my face. It was all true. I _was _the first to call her a bitter harpy and it had caught on. And I _did_ tell her that Sam ordered her to attend the barbecue when he did no such thing.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, not being able to meet her eyes.

"My ass," she snorted.

"I am," I said firmly, locking my gaze on her.

_Please believe me._

"Get away from me, Jacob," she growled, balling her fists tightly.

"Tell me what's going on Leah," I almost pleaded, "I feel like an ass, I really do."

She looked at me for a second and stood up scoffing. I grabbed her wrist and felt an electric jolt surge through my veins. "Don't go yet, I'm not done."

"I really don't give a damn if you're done or not, _I_ _am_. Stop acting like you care, Black, seriously."

_It's not an act._

She struggled against my grip and I let go, spilling what was running through my mind earlier today. The empty feeling that hit me after releasing her didn't go unnoticed by me, but I chose to not think on it too much.

"You left because it was your song."

She froze and turned to face me.

"He told you?"

I nodded slowly, "he told us all before going to his room."

She didn't speak.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Perfectly fine," she said, sarcasm etched in her voice.

She stood up and walked to the edge of the cliff.

She looked out at the ocean and turned her head towards me, "And for the record Jacob Black, I _was_ happy yesterday when I was at the beach, but you came and ruined it."

I shook my head, "I didn't mean -" too late. She jumped before I could finish.

She jumped off the cliff, diving into the water. I watched her resurface and swim towards shore. Seth threw her a towel as she took a seat next to Paul. I envied him for putting no effort into sitting by her, where as I had to move inch by inch to be next to her.

I jumped off the cliff and dove into the cool water. I loved the feeling of cliff diving, it gave me the sense of freedom. I resurfaced taking in a huge lung-full of air. I swam back to shore, my eyes permanently glued to Leah's figure. I got out of the water shaking my hair and I walked past Leah. I found a seat next to Quil and sat watching her. I knew she was avoiding my gaze, and I knew whatever was bothering her was bothering Sam. He's been unusually quiet ever since last night. Whatever he told Leah last night was something big if the both of them were not talking.

We sat around talking amongst each other about random stuff. I saw Leah glance at me a couple of times, from the corner of her eye. Once it got dark, we started a fire. I watched her the whole time across the fire. _I_ really_ hope I'm not creeping her out._

By midnight, almost everyone was asleep, including Leah. Sam and I were the only ones left awake. I was gonna use this opportunity to ask Sam what was up with him and Leah.

_Won't that be a little weird? Asking Sam about Leah?_

I debated whether or not to confront Sam. I decided against it as I'd find out sooner or later on patrol anyway. He always lets things slip. And that'd just be too weird. What if he thinks I like her?

_You do._

I wanted to punch myself for having arguments with my conscience.

"Jacob, help me wake these guys up. We should be heading home now," he said, as he shook Quil and Paul awake.

"Okay," I nodded.

I stood up and shook Seth, Jared, and Embry awake.

"What about her?" Paul asked, with an exhausted Leah on his shoulder.

I felt a twinge of jealousy rush through me as I watched Paul gently move her head off his shoulder and lifted her up in his arms.

_Since when was Paul ever gentle?!_

"I'll take her," Seth said, extending his arms.

"Here," Paul said, carefully passing Leah's limb body into Seth's arms.

Seth walked off with Leah, already 20 steps away. I ran after him, calling out his name.

"Seth!" I called out, "wait up!"

Seth turned around, waiting for me.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just wanted to walk back with someone..."

Seth gave me a long hard look before answering, "You're not getting with her."

_Ummm...awkward..._

"What are you talking about Seth?" I asked, completely dumbfounded.

"I'm not blind, Jake. I saw the way you were looking at her today," he said quietly, "I don't want another Sam pulled on her."

_Oh. _

"I'm not Sam."

"I know that, but you're a shape-shifter. You're capable of imprinting anytime, anywhere."

"I'm not gonna imprint! And even if I do, I'd fight it," I said seriously.

"That's impossible," he said sadly, "or else Sam would still be with Leah."

I had to smile, he was so protective over Leah.

"We also thought it was impossible for females to shape-shift, and Sam never tried to fight it, he went along with it."

He got quiet, considering it.

"Why do you all of sudden like her? You guys hate each other," he whispered, afraid of waking her.

"I don't know..." I sighed, defeated.

"Look Jake, you're cool and everything, but she's my sister. I don't want her to get hurt again, I can't take it. Do you know how many nights I stayed up listening to her cry when she thought everyone else was asleep? I never slept, Jake. I couldn't 'cause at the time I wanted to kill Sam for putting her through so much pain."

Seth looked down at his sister with sad eyes, "she's slowly healing, Jake. I don't want to see her get her heart broken by one of my friends. I didn't understand it before, but now I do. I don't wanna risk it. Not again, Jake."

I've never seen this side of Seth. Seth was one of those people that always looked at the bright side of things. It was impossible to get him down. The last time I saw him sad was when Harry passed away. Just looking at him made you want to break down in tears. He loves Leah, and because Harry's gone, Seth made it his responsibility to watch over her. I respected him for that.

"Seth, I understand. But please, just give me a chance. I swear if I ever hurt her, I'll let you and the rest of the guys beat the shit out of me. I'll leave La Push if I ever hurt her. Just give me a chance." I was close to getting down on my knees and begging.

"Why are you asking for permission?" he asked, truly curious.

"Because it wouldn't be right if I didn't. I need your approval first."

He furrowed his brows and nodded slowly, "okay Jake, but I swear to God if you hurt her, I will go out of my way to come after you."

I didn't feel threatened, of course, but I knew the threat was a promise.

I placed my right hand over my heart, "I swear."

His unusual hard face turned to his natural happy-go-lucky face, "good."

I didn't notice we were already at the Clearwater house 'till Seth asked if I was gonna go home or not.

"Uh, yeah... I just need to do something. Do you have pen and paper?" I asked.

"Yeah, here," he tossed me a notebook and a pencil.

"What are you doing, giving me your number?" he snorted.

"I'm leaving something for Leah," I said, finishing it off.

I looked around the living room for her.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"I put her in her room, why?"

"I'm gonna set this on her pillow," I said, waving it in the air.

"Good luck with that."

I tip-toed up the stairs and into her room. She laid peacefully asleep, all signs of hurt gone. I laid the note carefully on her pillow and backed away.

"Goodnight," I whispered, closing the door behind me.

"Did she wake up?" Seth asked.

"Nope. Listen man, thanks for trusting me. I'm gonna go home now. See you later."

"Just don't prove me wrong," he said, closing the door.

I walked home lost in my thoughts. I knew it wasn't gonna be easy getting through to Leah. But I was determined to do whatever to get her to realize I was serious.

* * *

**Leah's POV**

I woke up to the sound of raindrops on my roof. I turned and faced the wall and heard a crinkling sound. I sat up and found a note on the edge of my pillow. It was written in horrid handwriting.

_"Why not me?"_ was what it said. I knew who it was from even before I read it.

Jacob Black.

* * *

Author's Note: What'd you think? I hoped you liked it! Please review :) I'm thinking about doing a chapter in Sam's POV, someone brought it up in my review for the first chapter, and I think it's a great idea!


	3. Confrontations

Chapter three: Confrontations

* * *

**Leah's POV**

I got out of the sower and slid on some shorts and a tank. I left my damp hair loose and made my way down the stairs for breakfast. I can't believe it's already 1 in the afternoon! I _never_ wake up this late. I could smell the aroma of bacon and eggs filling my nostrils, but I surprisingly, wasn't too hungry. I wasn't in the mood for food. I was in the mood for answers. Answers from Jacob Black. Why on earth would he leave me a note? _"Why not me?" _What the hell is that suppose to mean?

_Don't be stupid, you know exactly what it means._

Stupid conscience. So I know what it means. Big deal. I'm staying a good 10 feet away from that fact. I mean, who does he think he is? It's not like I'd ever get with him or anything, he's not my type.

_Yeah, because tall, dark, strong, and handsome is_ definitely _not your type._

Okay, I did not seriously just call Jacob handsome. Ew. And strong? _Puh-lease. _I can totally take him.

_Oh, that _must _explain why he saved _your_ ass from getting crushed by a vampire a couple of months ago, right?_

I scowled. I was having an argument with my conscience.

_You need me, Leah._

I shook my head in frustration, "get out of my head!"

"Who ya talkin' to Lee?" Seth asked from the kitchen counter.

I kept my eyes on the ground, because unfortunately everything around me was now spinning.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Are you...okay?"

I lifted my head to see 4 confused figures staring at me. One of them being Jacob Black.

Fan-fucking-tastic. So he leaves me a note at night and shows up in my kitchen the next day?

"I'm fine." I say flatly before walking right out.

I wanted to confront him, but not _now. N_ot _here_ at my house, and especially not with my _brother _around.

I sat myself on the nearest couch angrily flipping through random channels. But of course Jacob Black came over and sat right next to me.

"Did you sleep okay?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested.

What the _hell._

"You're weird," I say, not bothering to look at him.

"Thanks," he smiled.

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't a compliment."

"Nothing from you ever is."

"Whatever."

"You still didn't answer my question," he pushed.

"Really? I don't ever recall giving a damn."

"Feisty, aren't we?" he smirked.

The nerve of this bastard!

I peeled my eyes from the television to stare at the idiot sitting next to me wondering how in hell Seth could find any reason to look up to him.

"Leah, I'm serious. Did you sleep okay? You literally passed out last night..."

I distinctly heard Seth, Embry, and Quil sneaking out the back door. _Great_. That means they're in on this.

"Who cares?" I yelled, exasperated.

"How thick are you? I'm here sitting on this couch asking you this simple question, _obviously_ I fucking care."

I looked away stubbornly from his gaze. I wasn't about to admit that it felt good to hear that, even if it came from him. No way.

"Whatever," I scoffed.

"You see! That's your problem-"

"Oh so now you know my _problems? _Please enlighten me Jacob Black, because I _obviously _don't know about my own God damn issues!" I didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. I was way too heated to wait.

The nerve he had to say that _I _didn't know about my own issues in life was crossing the line.

"That's not what I meant..." he said, scratching the back of his head in frustration.

"Bullshit!"

"God! What the fuck is your problem then?"

He was standing now, towering over me, effectively blocking my path in case I decided to make a run for it it. He kept his eyes locked on mine.

He looked at me with so much intensity that I had to look away. He grabbed my chin gently and tilted my head to face him, "answer me."

How dare he touch me like that!

I pushed him away furiously trying to keep myself from phasing in my living room.

"You want to know what my problem is Jacob?" I laughed menacingly, "I'm going to be the maid of honor at the wedding of who I thought was the love of my life. Why are they getting married so soon? Because Emily is _pregnant_ with a baby girl. Then I get _"ordered" _to go to Sam's barbecue where the king alpha himself tells me he wants to name his baby girl after me, because I was such a _biiiig_ part of his life. It hasn't even been a year since my dad died and my mom is already engaged to his _best friend. _Bella is my soon-to-be step-sister leaving the rest of her parasite family as my in-laws. _I'm _going to be _affiliated _with _them_! And to top it all off my mom is making me visit Sam and Emily on a daily basis because she says it'll be 'good for me.'"

I was on the verge of tears. I could feel the warm liquid threatening to fall, but I held them back. I will not let Jacob Black see me cry. I will not be seen as weak. I will _not_ look vulnerable. Especially in front of _him._

He didn't speak, he was still as a statue.

I stood up to leave but he grabbed my arm, "I'm sorry," he whispered, looking me directly in the eye. My breath hitched. This is too intense.

_For what?_

"I never blamed you," I say_, _almost losing my breath at the look of intensity in his eyes. _Almost._

He looked troubled, "I don't care. I'm sorry for making you do that."

"You didn't make me do anything. I could have lied," I stated, looking anywhere but at him.

"So why didn't you?"

_I have no fucking idea..._

"To get you to leave me the fuck alone!"

"What makes you think that's gonna happen now?" he asked, sounding offended.

_Stop acting like you care, you jackass!_

"What makes you think I'm gonna let it happen?" I challenged.

His face softened as he looked his gaze on her, sighing deeply, "Leah..."

_Oh_ please_ don't say anything stupid Jacob!_

"I-" His phone went off.

"What?!" he growled into his phone.

I dropped my head into my hands - and to my horror - felt wetness around my eyes and cheeks. Why the fuck am I crying? Wait, no, how did I not notice this? He's been watching me cry this whole time? _Oh God._

I quickly wiped away the falling salty tears from my face and looked at him through wet lashes.

His eyes conveyed sincerity and that frightened me to the very core. He really does care about me. Or is at least good at pretending to.

I saw his worried face turn to one of fury, "NO!"

He looked so different when he was mad, he looked older. I never took notice before, but looking at him now, he isn't the little kid I used to babysit when Rachel and Rebecca weren't home. He wasn't just Seth's older friend anymore. He wasn't the love-struck teenager that panted after Bella anymore - well actually yes, he still is somehow infatuated with the Queen of plain. He was a man. He's grown and matured into someone strong. Jacob and I have been through the same heartache, we're both rejects to the game of love. So why was he so happy all the time? How can he be so okay with the person he loves running off with someone else? Why couldn't I be like that? Why couldn't I have that kind of strength?

I looked at him again, this time fully facing him. He was still on the phone looking more irritated then ever. That's when it clicked.

_You like him._

But...that's impossible.

_Stop running from your feelings, Leah._

I was _terrified_. I'm pretty sure my eyes were as big as Embry's this morning. I stood up and backed away from him. He followed suit, all irritation replaced by confusion. He reached an out-stretched hand for me, as if to ask me to take a chance.

_Take it._

No! I backed away two more steps.

He furrowed his brows and tried to close the distance.

And then I booked it. I ran as fast and far away from him as possible. I knew he wasn't following, I was already too far away.

_Coward._

I know...

* * *

**Jacob's POV**

I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. She had just told me everything. I don't even have to talk to Sam anymore just told me what I've been itching to find out. I should be happy but then I saw how much it pained her to get everything off her chest. She looked like she was trying to get a hold of herself, to keep herself from crying. I felt horrible, like _I _was the one causing her pain. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. I'm not sure there_ is_ anything I can say. I knew it wasn't entirely my fault though, I held Sam responsible for her pain. I was pissed at Sam for doing this to her. How could he possibly think naming his kid after her would make things better for her? Was he insane?

She looked over at me and stood up to leave, but I caught her arm.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, locking my eyes with hers.

"I never blamed you."

_You should._

"I don't care. I'm sorry for making you do that." I say fiercely.

"You didn't make me do anything. I could have lied."

"So why didn't you?"

"To get you to leave me the fuck alone!" she said unconvincingly.

Well that one kind of stung. How could I possibly leave her alone after what she had just told me?

"What makes you think that's gonna happen?" I ask, offended she suggested the idea.

She narrowed her eyes, tears cascading down her face. "What makes you think I'm gonna let it happen?"

I could see that this argument was going no where. I came here to have a meaningful conversation with her, not to argue with her. That could wait 'till we're on patrol. Seeing her tears streaming down her face bothered much more than I would have liked. I didn't want to make her cry.

I relaxed and sighed, "Leah..."

I saw her bite her bottom lip nervously. She looked away fidgeting with her shorts.

I had no idea what to tell her. I wanted to tell that I like her -or I think I do - but that would earn me a broken nose and an earful from Sam. Is it worth it?

_Yes._

"I-" my phone went off. I looked down at my phone furious when I saw Embry's name appear on my screen.

"What?!" I growled into the phone, furiously.

"Whoa, calm down man. Your dad just wanted to know where you were at."

I looked to my right and saw Leah's head in her hands.

"Jake?" I ignored Embry's voice and watched Leah instead.

I pretended to listen to Embry's voice when she shifted her position and wiped her face.

"Jacob, I can hear you breathing!"

She lifted her head and looked over at me through her lashes. Her eyes had a light reddish tint to them making it obvious she had been crying. I wanted comfort her, to pull her into a hug and shower her with kisses, but that was impossible with Leah Clearwater. At least for now it was.

"Jake?!"

_God Embry, _shut up_._

She looked away, concentrating on whatever it was that was playing on T.V.

"Alright dude, we're coming over."

Embry is officially a retard.

"NO!" I snarled.

The idiot started laughing, "I know, I know, I was just making sure you were still there. I actually couldn't hear you breathing, I was just saying that. But seriously..." Embry's voice was fading away. He was still talking, but I couldn't hear him, I was too occupied with the look on Leah's face.

The look on her face was...different. It was like she was just realizing something. As if she was having an epiphany.

I wanted to look her in the eyes and tell her how I felt, but I didn't.

She looked away again, and I took the opportunity to fully face her. She seemed lost in thought, contemplating something.

She turned to fully face me, and her eyes widened. She furrowed her brows and stood up abruptly, take cautious steps away from me.

It was my turn to furrow my brows. I reached an out-stretched hand towards her, begging her to take it. She stared at it like it was the leading cause of STD's.

_Take it!_

She backed up two more steps. What is she doing? She wasn't scared. No, she doesn't look scared. She looks...confused?

I tried to close the distance - that did it. She flew out the door before I could open my mouth. What is with her?

I had to agree with Embry, she _was _weird. But who wasn't?

"...to meet him at his house." Embry finished.

Oh crap! Embry! I forgot I was on the phone with him!

"Can you repeat that all over again?" I asked sheepishly.

"You weren't listening."

"No, she was still here, dumbass."

"Oh! Well you should've told me! I would've hung up," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I thought you'd get the point after I ignored everything you said."

"Thanks man," he said sarcastically.

I could picture his stupid grin perfectly. Seriously, how people call him the quiet one is beyond me.

"My pleasure, now what were you saying about a house?"

"Sam needs to talk to you about your 2 free nights of patrolling or whatever. So you kinda have to be at his house now," he said.

"Are you kidding? It's 2 in the afternoon! Can't he just call me?"

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p'.

"Fine, I'll go now."

"Wait! How'd it go?"

"I'll tell you later, bye."

"Later."

I slid my phone into my pocket and walked down to Sam's house. This was gonna be the perfect time to talk to Sam. Leah told me what I needed to hear, but she didn't give me full details. I mean, I didn't expect her to or anything, but it would've been nice. It also would've been a freaking miracle and those don't happen too often. At least they don't around here.

So I'm gonna talk to Sam and try to get it out of him. Whatever bothers Leah, bothers him. That _really _annoyed me. She wasn't his anymore, he had his own life to live with_ Emily_. I know he still loves Leah, everyone knows that. It's just not the same 'love' it use to be. It was more like a brother-sister love, he loves her like a sister. A little sister. A _pack _sister. I think that's what gets to Leah, Sam treats her like a little kid, he has to know about _everything_ she does. It annoys the pack when he treats her like that because that usually leads her to her rampages.

I thought back to our earlier conversation. Well, if you could call _that_ a conversation. _"You didn't make me do anything. I could have lied." _She said her reasoning for not lying was to keep me away from her, or in her words, _"leave me the fuck alone." _I don't believe her. I know for a fact she was lying, or perhaps hiding something. How do I know? Because she wasn't looking me in the eyes when she said it. I mean she was looking at me, just not in the eyes.

Then I saw her tear-strained face. She was crying. And I didn't do anything about it but sit there and look sympathetic. It surprised me, I didn't expect to see her at such a vulnerable point. Of course I would never think of her as weak, she's been through more shit than anyone in the pack combined to be categorized as weak. No, Leah was different. She always has been. She never backed down, she was ridiculously stubborn. I bet she got that from her dad, Harry. He was one of La Push's elders, he was in on our secret, he was part of the council. He was the tough one out of him, Billy, and Old Quil. He ran the arguments, always too stubborn to back down from anything, always so proud of where he came from. I guess I can see where Leah gets her attitude from, 'cause she sure as hell didn't inherit her smart remarks from Sue. That's all Harry's doing.

I thought about how quickly Harry accepted Sam as Leah's boyfriend. I never thought of it before, but now I'm wondering if he only accepted Sam because he knew it was only a matter of time before he phased, and because Sam had the wolf genes in him. But what if...what if he's watching down on us now...would he accept me? I'm the true alpha, and I would never break his daughter's heart.

"What took you so long?" Sam asked, breaking my train of thought.

I didn't even notice I was standing on Sam's front porch.

"Oh, I was uh, talking to someone..." I said.

"Well, are you gonna stand there all day?" he laughed, opening the door wider for me.

"Oh, right."

I walked in, taking a seat at the kitchen counter.

"Something on your mind, Jacob?" he asked, taking a seat across from me.

"Uhhhh, yeah...But I'll save it for later..."

He looked unconvinced, "Okay...Well, I needed to talk to you about your 2 free nights."

"You're taking them away?" I asked with a blank face.

"What? No, you got Leah to come didn't you? That deserves 2 nights, even if you lied," he said the last part with a hiss.

"Oh," I said surprised.

"Yes. I'm not that cruel Jacob. Anyway, I called you here because even though you won't be on patrol, I need you to still be aware of the things around you okay? Stay on alert."

"What are you talking about, Sam? What's going on? " I asked, frowning.

"Vampires. 2 of them, males."

My body immediately tensed.

"They might be friends of the Cullens," I say.

"No, Seth's already spoken to the Cullens. They're on the look-out too. These new leeches are dangerous and are a threat to women. Young women."

My eyes narrowed, "how do you know?"

"Because the small Cullen, Alice, had a vision of them attacking young _attractive _women. Lots of them."

"Have you seen them yet? What do they look like?"

He nodded his head, "I was on patrol with Jared and Paul last night when we saw them run across the beach and through the forest. We split up, ran after them, and trapped them."

"And you didn't kill them?!" I yelled.

"No. One of them was able to teleport their way out and the other blinded us."

I slammed my fists on the kitchen counter.

"Don't do that, you'll put a dent in it."

I rolled my eyes. Of course not, Emily would get mad.

"But what do they look like?" I asked.

"I'm gonna call a pack meeting tonight at 9 at the clearing. I'll have everyone phase so they could see."

"Okay, I'll tell Quil and Embry."

"Good."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"Yes. But tell me, what had you so bothered earlier?"

Oh shit.

"It's nothing really..."

_Grow some balls and confront him already!_

"What happened at the barbecue between you and Leah?" I asked, looking down at my hands.

* * *

Author's note: What'd you think about this chapter? You don't think I over did it with Leah, do you? Next chapter will be in Sam and Leah's point of view! Reviews Please! :)


	4. Game on

Chapter four: Game on

* * *

**Sam's POV**

I stared at him dumbfounded, I sure as hell didn't see that one coming. I thought he was gonna bring something up about Bella like he usually did.

I said the only thing my mind could register, "what?"

"What happened between you and Leah at the barbecue, Sam?" he asked, finally looking me in the eye.

The look in his eyes told me that he already knew what happened that night. But why come to me if he already had his questions answered?

"I'm afraid that's strictly between Leah and I, Jacob."

He narrowed his eyes, "don't give me that crap Sam. Leah told me about Emily's pregnancy."

"She told you about Emily?!" I asked, stunned.

I knew Jacob knew stuff, but I didn't think he knew about Emily. Why the hell would Leah tell _Jacob _of all people about Emily? She hates him.

"You weren't suppose to know, we were going to surprise the pack," I said, irritated that Leah decided to open her big mouth.

"Oh, it surprised me alright. But what surprised me most was the fact that your gonna _name your kid after her_. That was a really fucked up move, Sam."

What? I did it for, Leah. I thought it'd make her happy.

"Why do you all of a sudden care about Leah or what I decide?" I asked, frustrated.

He looked away angrily, "because she's a member of the pack."

_Liar._

"You're lying," I stated.

"No I'm not."

"Jacob I've been in your head long enough to know when you are lying or not."

He exhaled sharply. "Fine. I like her alright?" he said, rather stiffly.

I felt heat rush to my face. Leah? Helikes Leah? _My _Leah? No! Absolutely not, this is not happening.

"You're not getting with her." I snapped.

"Why not? She's not yours anymore!" he growled.

"What if you imprint Jacob?!"

I was past being calm and sentimental. What can Jacob be possibly be thinking, he knows damn well there's a possibility that he imprints. And then what if he does? He leaves her in the dust like I had? No fucking way.

_And because you don't want to see her with another man._

"I'll fight it. You don't get it Sam, I feel all weird when I'm with her. I feel different. I don't exactly know how to explain how I feel around her, it's just...different. And I like it," he said, quietly. He looked at his hands, deep in thought.

"Jake, you have to understand that if you two get together and you imprint, you'll have no choice but to leave Leah behind just like I did."

He looked up, "I already had this talk with Seth, Sam. He said the exact same things as you, but he's giving me a chance, I don't need a repeat. If I ever hurt Leah, I'll leave La Push. "

My brows pulled together, "how do you know she's willing to give you a chance?"

He got quiet and sighed. "I'm working my way up there Sam, give me some time...it's just...she still loves you, and what you said at the barbecue really got to her."

My face fell, "what exactly did she tell you?"

"She's going to be the maid of honor," he said flatly.

I didn't think she'd come through and agree. What changed her mind?

"Jacob-" "Sam? Honey, I'm gonna start the laundry- Oh! Hi Jake!"

Emily walked into the kitchen with a basket of clothes cradled in her arms. I looked at both halves of her beautiful face. On one side it was radiant, flawless beauty, and on the other was scarred by my foolishness. I will never forgive myself for what I've done to her, I _physically _hurt her. Scarred.

"Hey, Em, it's good to see you," Jake said, smiling weakly.

"Oh, am I interrupting something?" she asked, suddenly guilty.

"No...I was just leaving. See you around, Em. Sam, see you tonight," he said, walking out without a second look back.

Great. First Bella, now Leah. Jacob Black, that kid _always _wanted what he couldn't have. He's not using his head, Leah will surely bite his ass off if he ever came near her. But, out of all people, why did Leah tell Jacob about Emily's news?

"Sam?" Emily was waving her hands in my face.

"Sorry love, what?"

"I'm starting the laundry and I need to wash that shirt, it's filthy, take it off."

I did what I was told and handed her the shirt. Emily always did so much for me, I don't know what I'd do without her, I'd be lost without her presence.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, setting the basket down and looking over me worriedly.

I felt bad for worrying her.

"It's just stuff with Leah and Jacob..."

"Leah and Jacob?!" she gasped, her hands flying over her mouth.

I nodded, "I'll tell you about it later. I'm going to take a walk to clear my thoughts."

She gave me a look of sympathy and kissed my cheek, "hurry back to me."

"Always," I said, pulling her into a hug.

_This. _This is my reason of existence. Emily Young. She's the reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, the reason I'm always in a hurry back home, to see her illuminating smile welcoming me back, she's the reason I am who I am. She's the reason for my happiness. Not all of my happiness though, a lot of my happiness goes to Leah too. She was mine before Emily. Leah brought out the younger, cockier, wild, and fun side of me while Emily brought the matured, gentle, and wise side.

"I love you," she said, looking up at me.

"And I love you," I said, releasing her from my embrace. "I'll be back soon," I promised, and walked out into the cool fresh air.

I guess you could say I had much more fun being reckless with Leah. I loved sneaking out at night and meeting up with her at the beach, or sneaking into her room when her parents were asleep. Everything with Leah was exhilarating and I loved that. She was so different from the other girls of La Push. She didn't have to spend 10 hours to get ready for an event, no, that wasn't Leah, she just automatically looked good. She never had to try to get a guys attention, she was like a male-magnet. Every guy wanted her and every girl wanted to _be _her. I was the lucky bastard who got to call himself "Leah's boyfriend." She was the girl who went cliff-diving with the guys, she was the girl who chose jeans and a T-shirt over a mini skirt and a low cut shirt. She was the girl that was 'unavailable,' but that only made guys want her even more. But then I phased and everything changed. I had the time of my life with Leah, but we were young, and times have changed. I still have memories of us that I will NEVER show anyone else but her, not even Emily will find out. No matter how much fun, and how in love Leah and I were, I wouldn't trade what I have with Emily to turn it back. Everything happens for a reason right? Fate chose Emily. Leah will find her soul mate someday.

_What if it's Jacob?_

It can't be Jacob. Jacob is a shape-shifter capable of imprinting.

_They've both been through the same heartache. Rejection._

I reflected back to the day I broke up with her. She looked exactly like Bella had when I found her in the forest, only worse. She already saw it coming, she knew it was because of Emily. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and fell to the ground. She didn't sob, she just took it in silence and walked away. Then I thought about the day Jacob received his wedding invitation to Bella's wedding. I've never seen a man look so crushed before, he didn't cry. He too, took off in silence the way Leah had.

It infuriated me to admit that they did indeed have a lot in common. Same stubbornness. Same pain. Same smart ass remarks. Same a lot of things.

I shook my head in fury. I hated the thought of Leah in another man's arms. It killed me.

I thought about what Jacob had said earlier, _"she still loves you, you know. What you said at the barbecue really got to her."_

What had I said to her? I went back to the day of the barbecue.

_- Flashback -_

_"You think they're actually gonna get her to come?" Emily asked, sadly._

_"Nope." Paul said, popping the 'p.'_

_"Sam, maybe you should call them back." Emily said, worriedly._

_"Relax Em, she'll show up if she wants."_

_Paul snorted, "doubt it."_

_25 minutes later -_

_The doorbell rang, but of course every single one of my pack members were too lazy to answer it._

_"Don't everyone get up at once," I say, walking over to the door._

_I knew it was Jacob and Embry. And I knew deep down, that Leah really wasn't going to show up. _

_Oh boy, how wrong I was._

_I opened the door to greet Jacob and Embry, I see an extra head. Leah's head. Leah came. They got Leah to come. I just couldn't get myself to process that through my mind. She actually came._

_"Leah! I'm so glad you cou-" "Whatever, I'm only here 'cause it was an order," she said cutting me off and walking right past._

_She found herself and empty seat in the corner, and sat beside herself, fiddling with her shirt._

_"Order?! You told her it was an order?!" I half whispered, half yelled._

_Just when I thought our relationship couldn't get anymore screwed up than it already was!_

_"Well...it sort of slipped out, and at least she's here..." Jacob said, smiling sheepishly._

_Oh God, she's gonna give us hell when we phase._

_I exhaled dramatically, "now she definitely hates me. Go on in, find a seat."_

_I prepared for the worst as they walked past me._

_I shut the door and walked in her direction and heard her sigh in frustration. My face fell, but I didn't let that stop me from talking to her. I took a seat next to her and began._

_"Leah..." I started, "you said you only came because it was an order. I'm gonna tell you right now that I never ordered you to attend the barbecue. I just had Jake and Embry attempt to 'annoy' you into coming here."_

_She gasped and snapped her head in Jacob's direction and shoot him the most horrifying death glare I've ever seen. He caught her look and smiled sheepishly. I smiled to myself when she flipped him off. Same old Leah. Some things will never change._

_"Well since I'm not needed here, I'm out," she said, standing up._

_I grabbed her hand and pulled her back down, "there are some things you need to know."_

_Her eyes were on our touching hands. Shocked. I felt my face fall, did she think just because we were over I wasn't going to touch her anymore? Not in a romantic way, of course, but still, it'd be nice getting a hug from her once in a while. I still want - no need - her in my life._

_"What, Sam?" she growled._

_I was aware of the curious faces looking our way, Jacob's being the most concentrated._

_I leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Emily's pregnant."_

_She immediately froze. She didn't speak_.

_"Leah?" I said her name, nervously._

_"Congratulations. I'm gonna go now," she said blankly._

_"No," I sighed, "there's more. Let me get you a drink first, you must be thirsty. I'll be right back."_

_I stood up afraid that if I left and came back she'd be gone. How do I tell her everything without causing a scene?_

_I walked into the kitchen and grabbed two cokes instead of the coronas. No way am I getting her drunk. I'll pass._

_I made my way out of the kitchen and was surprised to see her still sitting there. I handed her a coke, but she didn't drink it._

_"First things first, how are you, Lee?" I asked, attempting to make small talk._

_"Perfect. Never been better," she answered in a monotone voice. _

_"How are things with-" "Look, I stayed because there are more 'things' that I need to know about, not because you wanted to make small talk."_

_Damn. Well, okay._

_"So...Emily had a doctor's appointment...and they told us it was a girl, and because you were such a big part of my life...I-I want to name her after you.."_

_She didn't answer right away, she had her eyes focused on the soda can in her hands._

_"Leah?" _

_"Do whatever you want, Sam." She said, her voice slightly cracking._

_"Is that it?" she asked._

_"One more thing..."_

_"Splendid," she said, with heavy sarcasm._

_"Well...because we're having a baby...uhmm, we thought it'd be best if we, you know...got married...?"_

_Silence._

_"...and you're a really big part of Emily's life...and it'd mean a lot to her if you became her maid of honor? I mean she asked your mom...and she said that you'd agree...but we wanted to ask you personally..."_

_"I'll do it," she said stiffly._

_Wait, what? I don' think I heard her correctly._

_"What?" I asked, in disbelief._

_"You heard me," she exhaled sharply, "my mom would kill me if I said no. And I want a good nights rest tonight, not a lecture at 3 am over the phone."_

_"O-okay, thanks. It means a lot to us," I said stupidly._

_We sat there in an awkward silence and both looked up to see Emily making her way towards us. I saw Leah's eyes widen at the sight of her making her way into the living room. _

_She strode past the radio and froze. At first I was worried something was wrong with her, I was about to get up and ask what was wrong when her face turned into one with recognition._

_"Oh, I love this song!" she squealed, turning up the volume of the radio._

"I need you like water, like breath, like rain,  
I need you like mercy from heavens gate,  
There's a freedom in your arms that carries me through,  
I need you."

_Our song. That song used to be mine and Leah's. We shared our first kiss to that song. I saw Leah's face turn to one of anguish._

_"Em, no! Turn that off!" I cried out._

_She looked confused as to what was going on, so she just stood there. I jumped up in frustration and ran to the radio. I couldn't stop myself from crashing though, I had built up so much momentum from jumping up that I couldn't come to a halt. So I ran into the shelf, which knocked over the radio, and me being the idiot that I am tried catching it, but my fingers slipped and accidentally turned the volume up even higher._

_I looked back at Leah but her seat was empty. I fell to my knees in frustration, "DAMN IT! LEAH!"_

_I cursed myself for not watching her. I should've known that she would've dipped once I left her side._

_I sighed in defeat and made my way back to my room. I could feel everyone's gaze on my back. I bet they were wanting an explanation. I bet they're all just curious as to what got the alpha to crack._

_"This was our song..." I said, and I walked into the darkness of my room that was welcoming me._

_I know my explanation to them wasn't much, but I knew they all understood. They all knew what I meant, so they didn't need to be told a full story. Four little words. Tough luck._

_I laid in bed and closed my eyes. That night I dreamt of a world of no vampires or shape-shifters._

_- End of Flashback -_

I don't know how I ended up at the top of the cliffs just above the ocean, but here I am.

_"A world of no vampires or shape-shifters," _I snorted, "if only life was that easy."

I looked down at my watch. Damn. It's 8:30 already 8:30.

Just 30 more minutes.

* * *

**Leah's POV**

I sat on the forest floor, leaning against a large moss-covered tree, scowling to myself. I had been running for hours and I was exhausted. Why was I running? Because of Jacob Black. I just wanted to go to sleep. I closed my eyes and let the events of earlier today roam freely in my thoughts.

I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up it was starting to get dark. I yawned and stood up to stretch my muscles. I closed my yes as the wind rushed through my hair, enjoying the coolness of it.

I looked around, everything was quiet. Too quiet. I felt like I was being watched. It was my wolf instincts that told me that someone was watching. I looked around warily, scanning the area for any sign of movement. I tensed and crouched into a fighting position.

"Why so tense, Leah?" someone asked in an irresistibly sexy voice.

I snapped my head in the direction of where the voice came from. This better not be a prank from the pack, because I am not feeling it.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" I yelled feeling like those stupid girls in horror films asking who's there. As if they serial killer will be in the kitchen saying  
"in the bathroom! Be right out!"

That's when the smell hit me. That ungodly stench of decayed old women perfume. I wanted to gag, but I kept my cool. I knew this smell, this was the scent of a blood-sucker. Sickly sweet.

A boy, no older then 18 appeared in front of me out of nowhere. I almost peed my pants when I saw his eyes. I knew he was a vampire alright, but it was his eyes that captivated me.

Wait, _captivated_? Gross, he's a vampire!

His eyes were crimson red, but the outer ring around his pupils were a crystal blue. And they were glowing. Yes, you read that right, _glowing_.

He looked me in the eyes and smiled, "I'm Jayden Crenshaw and I've been dying to meet you Miss Leah."

Oh God, that voice was just so sexy- NO! HE IS A VAMPIRE DAMNIT! I WILL NOT THINK OF HIM LIKE THAT!

I hated how normal he dressed, he wore basketball shorts and a wife beater. But his face, I was actually _attracted_ to him, and that pissed me off to no end. I mean, first Jacob, and now this? What the fuck!?

"Fuck off leech, or you're dead. Again." I growled.

He grinned and took a step towards me. I bared my teeth, ready to rip his pretty little head off. I was ready attack, I was ready to phase, I was just waiting for the right moment.

He lifted his hand and motioned someone out into the open space with us. I crouched lower to heighten my momentum for when I sprang at them.

Another boy, about the same age as him stepped out from behind the surrounding trees. Now he at least looked like a normal parasite, his eyes were just a crimson red color, no blue lining shit like his friend.

"You found her," the other one said.

"Oh yeah," Jayden said smirking.

Two vampires against a lone wolf? I'll pass I phased on the spot, feeling the heat run up my spine.

_Leah? _- Paul thought, confused

_PAUL! HOWL! VAMPIRES! 2 OF THEM! _I yelled in my mind.

_Oh shit! Okay, hang on! I'll be there soon! _

I waited for about 3 seconds and surely enough I heard a long, urgent, ear-splitting howl.

"Looks like the rest of your pack know you're missing, Leah," said the other one.

_How the fuck do they know my name? _

_Leah where are you?! _- Paul asked, frantic.

I looked around at my surroundings so he could get a better visual of where I was.

_Okay, I'm not that far, I'll be there in 5! _

"Still can't believe you found her," the other one said, looking impressed.

"I know dude, I still don't know what to do with her though," Jayden said, staring me in the eye.

I barked at them, but it came out as a whine instead. I had no chance against these two.

I heard Paul growling in my head and felt his speed increase.

_Leah be careful, those two are dangerous. The one with the blue shit in his eyes can teleport and his friend over there was able to blind us._

He thought back to the day when him, Sam, and Jared were on patrol when they saw them running across the beach and into the forest. He showed me how they centered the two vampires and how they had managed to escape.

Great.

I felt another presence entering my mind. Sam.

_LEAH! WHERE ARE YOU? _ That was the voice of Sam.

Paul showed him a visual of where I was.

_Leah stay where you are, do NOT try to take them by yourself. Wait for us, _Sam ordered.

I felt the power of the alpha's voice surge through my body. I had no choice but to listen to his command.

I saw Sam's paws pounding the dirt angrily, wanting to get here as fast as possible to rip these leeches apart.

_Be careful, Lee,_ Sam thought worriedly.

I felt Seth, Jacob, Embry, Quil, and Jared phase all at the same time. They were panicking and furious.

_Lee, are you okay?_ Seth asked, his voice full of worry.

_I'm fine Seth, just hurry up and get here fast. I can't take these two on my own._

_Leah where are you?! _- Jacob asked, his voice just as worried as Seth's. I fight the urge to roll my eyes because really, they're here to help. The least I could do is hold the "inner-bitch" done for a little while.

I gave another visual for everyone to see where I was. Everyone was familiar with the area and started sprinting.

"You've been awfully quiet Leah, everything okay?" Jayden asked, taking a step towards me.

I backed up a step and growled when the other vampire picked up my locket that flew off of me when I phased. NO! My dad gave that to me! Please, not that! I let out a useless, frustrated whine, and the one raised an eyebrow.

At the sound of my hopeless whines and the sight of the two vampires through my eyes, I saw every single one of the guys increasing their velocity. None of them were running anymore. At this point they were flying through the forest, their surroundings becoming a blur.

_Hang on Leah, I'm almost there!_ Paul assured me.

He flew through the same area where the second vampire stepped out from and skidded to a stop right next to me. I sighed in relief.

_You okay?_ Paul asked, nudging my shoulder with his nose.

I nodded, _yeah._

"Hi, _Paul," _the second one greeted, suddenly amused.

_How does this parasite know my name? _- Paul asked angrily.

_Leah, I'm almost there, I'm coming in from the back,_ Embry thought.

_I'm right behind you Embry, _Jared thought.

Jayden snatched the locket from his friend's hands and examined it. He then looked at me and stepped forward.

"Leah..." he breathed, his face softening.

Paul took a protective stance in front of me, snarling at him.

_What the hell is up with this blood-sucker?_ Quil asked sounding too confused to be irritated.

"Leah, phase back," Jayden said, glaring at Paul.

_Keep your ground, Leah, _Sam warned.

Paul snapped his teeth at him, growling.

"Why don't you back off, Paul? I was talking to the pretty lady, not you," Jayden said, eyeing me hungrily.

I heard Jacob's infuriated howl echoing through the forest.

_Calm down, Jake,_ I thought.

_NO! I'm gonna tear him to shreds! _He thought back angrily, thinking about the best possible way to ambush Jayden.

"Well since you won't answer me, I guess we're just going to have to wait until the rest of your pack arrive then, eh?" Jayden asked, winking at me.

_Ew. _

Embry and Jared burst through the bushes from behind me and also took a protective stance in front of me with Paul.

"Ah, Embry and Jared, nice to see you," Jayden said, grinning ear to ear.

_He knows our names? _- Jared asked.

_What's up with his eyes? _- Embry asked, zooming in on his eyes.

He stepped closer, and they snarled at him, snapping their teeth at his hands. He smirked, not at all frightened.

"Just do it now, Jay! She's right there!" the other one hissed.

"Chill. I know what I'm doing," he said firmly, "I want the rest of them here, I just had an idea that you'll enjoy very much."

Sam, Jacob, Seth, and Quil made it into the empty space and stood next to me. Every single one of them wanting to fight.

We formed a line, poised and ready to attack. I stood between Sam and Jacob.

_Are you okay?_ Jacob asked, relieved he was finally within my reach.

I nodded.

"Samuel, Jacob, Seth, and Quil! Glad you could join us, I was starting to wonder if you four were coming or not," Jayden said, an evil smile playing on his lips.

"I've been watching you all very closely, especially Leah," he said, winking in my direction.

I growled, as did everyone else in the pack.

_He's been watching us? _I asked in disbelief.

Sam nodded sharply, _that must be why we saw them in La Push._

"Anyway, I'm just gonna cut to the point. Make a long story short. Leah, you're gonna be mine. Since your blood is not at all appealing to me, I want you," he said, stopping in front of me.

_Never in a million years,_ leech! I snarled, but of course it came out as an angry bark - which didn't phase him at all.

I could feel Jacob's anger rising, it felt weird being in his head when he was angry. Scary, even.

_Jacob, calm down, _Sam ordered.

"I was going to take you with me, you know, when none of your pack members were here. But I decided I wanted a little action, play a little game of hide-n-seek. Vampires versus Shape-shifter style. I know none of you will let me or my friend Carter leave with Leah in one piece, so we're gonna leave now. We'll come back for her later when no one expects it. The only advice I have for you all is to be ready."

I felt my eyesight going hazy. Everything was going out of focus, not just for me, but for everyone else as well. Soon enough everything was pitch black, none of us could see anything.

_He's blinding us again_! Jared yelled.

I tried blinking, but it was useless, everything was pitch black, nothing would show up, just blackness.

"We know you're all about ready to attack us, so Carter's just gonna blind you for now. You'll get your eyesight once we're out of sight, but just remember; Be ready, it's been ages since I've played a little game of hide-n-seek. And with Leah as the prized possession, you can bet your furry asses I won't play fair. Game on."

One by one, our eyesight cleared up. No one spoke.

_Why does he want me? _ I asked, finally asked, too creeped out to stay quiet.

Sam showed us his memory of Seth telling him about Alice Cullen's vision, and what the two vampires were after.

_So now we're playing a game of hide-n-seek over me? _I asked, annoyed.

Sam nodded, _and that will be why you wont be going anywhere alone._

_WHAT!? That's ridiculous Sam! _I complained.

_You will go nowhere alone. No one is to go anywhere alone. Understood? _Sam commanded.

Everyone nodded, not able to withstand the Alpha voice.

_From now on we will have a buddy system. Seth, I want you with me. Jacob, you will be paired with Leah. Paul, you will be with Jared. And Embry, you're with Quil. _

I looked to my right and saw that Jacob had a wolfy grin plastered on his face, with his tongue lolling out.

_Hey there partner,_ he thought, laughing to himself.

_Idiot. _I thought back.

_Aw, don't be like that! We're gonna be_ great_ partners Lee, _he thought, licking my face.

I blinked once. Twice. Not able to comprehend what he just did.

_Did you just _lick_ my freaking _face_?! JACOB BLACK, I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU! _I screamed, running after him.

* * *

Author's note: I don't really know about this chapter. I'm kinda iffy about it. But I hoped you liked it anyway :) Tell me what you think!


	5. Forming Bonds

Chapter five: Forming Bonds

* * *

**Jacob's POV**

She blinked once, twice. Not fully believing what I had just done. If I were in my human form, I would've been smirking. Her wolfy expression was priceless.

_Did you just lick my freaking face?! JACOB BLACK, I AM GONNA KILL YOU!_

I barked out in excitement and ran my ass into the forest, trying to get a head start before she caught me. I knew it would only be a matter of seconds before she- _OW!_

As expected, she jumped out of no where and landed right on my back, making us both fall to the ground.

She barked out a laugh and phased in front of me, revealing all her naked glory. Why'd she phase back? She knows she doesn't have any extra clothes. I mean, I'm not complaining or anything, but still...

_Watch it, Black, that's my sister you're thinking about,_ Seth warned before phasing out. I heard Sam huff in irritation before he phased out after Seth.

_Shit. _I forgot he was still there. I wasn't trying to scar him for life with my fantasies of his sister's rockin' body.

She strode over to me and kneeled next to me. Her lips curved up into a smile at the sound of my accelerating heartbeat. She untied the rope around my left leg and pulled my clothes free.

"You won't be needing these," she smirked, as she slid on my clothes.

_She just jacked your clothes, _Paul laughed, phasing back.

I rolled my eyes. Paul was excellent when it came to stating the obvious.

By this point everyone had already phased back except for me. I, however, had an excuse; she took my clothes. I don't mind walking around bare ass naked but I'm sure Leah wouldn't appreciate that too much. _What with my all too distracting _love gun. So I'll settle with my canine form. For now.

I took the time to look her up and down appreciatively. I didn't mind seeing her in my clothes at all, she looked good in them, I liked the idea of her wearing my clothes more often. And all of our wolf duties had toned body in all the right places. _I have to remember to thank Sam for always making us run the circuit._ The thought brought a stupid wolfy grin to my face again. Imagine the look on his face if I thanked him for that!

"Get that stupid grin off your face, Black," she said, pursing her lips.

_God, those pouty_ _are just _begging _to be kissed!_

I _did_ what I was told and met her eyes with a curious look. How does she expect to communicate if we're in different forms?

"I phased back because I don't want you or any of the others in my head," she answered, like she knew what I was thinking.

I grinned - showing razor sharp teeth - letting her know that I understood. She tried holding back a smile but failed, "let's go."

I nodded and kept pace with her, falling to her right. I studied her behavior, she hasn't scowling, but she wasn't smiling either. She seemed...content. I smiled to myself knowing my presence wasn't an issue.

I don't know how long we were walking, but it didn't matter, I was enjoying every minute I spent with her. I had my eyes on her the entire time and I'd occasionally catch her glancing down at me and looking away when our eyes locked.

We walked in silence. It wasn't a bad silence. Well, at least I hope it wasn't. She didn't look bothered or anything, and I sure as hell wasn't. Her being around me took my mind off that blue-rimmed piece of shit vampire.

I wanted to do some _serious_ damage to that little shit and his little bitch of a friend. Jayden and Carter. Damn, bloodsuckers! Why couldn't they just stay the fuck away? And now they're after Leah? My woman? NO. They need to mover their asses on over to a new girl, 'cause I'm not letting this one go to another leech. Never again.

I focused on her grey eyes and felt myself get instantly mesmerized.

She looked down at me and raised an eyebrow, "you getting tired of four legs?"

I nodded my head enthusiastically, excited that she may let me walk in my human form beside her. Wait...what was I going to wear? She's not gonna make me walk around naked, right?

_This is Leah Clearwater, of course she'd thrive on your embarassment._

she stopped walking, and gave me an gave me an impatient look, "Well? What are you waiting for? Phase!"

I laughed at her expression, but listened anyway.

She seemed surprised that I listened to her but quickly composed herself.

She slid off the shorts and handed them to me.

My eyes widened in confusion. I was completely lost.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked, staring at her bare legs. I swear those things are there just to tease me. They're practically begging me to caress them!

_Baaad mistake. __Don't look at her legs, don't look at her legs, don't look at her legs!_ _For fucks sake, Jake, get a grip!  
_

I groaned as I felt my manhood twitch as her long lean legs that seemed to go on forever. And to make matters worse, my T-shirt was the only piece of clothing that covered her body, barley concealing her ass. I can't exactly cup myself with my hands, that would be too obvious.

_Quick! Think of something unsexy! Wait, is unsexy a word? Fuck! Uhhh...Quil trying on Claire's diapers!_

I immediately felt myself go limp - which of course, called for a victory party in my head. _Success!_

"Your shirt works as a dress, it covers what needs to be covered," she shrugged, "now take the damn shorts."

_Oooh._

I grinned, taking the shorts from her and pulling it on.

I eyed her figure and spoke before I could even think, "you look good in my clothes."

She smacked the back of my head before I could even give a sheepish apology, "perv."

Well, at least I was honest.

I tried figuring out what to say next. I wanted to make small talk but I didn't want to sound like an idiot like Sam had at the barbecue.

"Hey uh, how's Billy doing?" she asked in a concerned tone.

Harry and my dad were best friends, well, actually they were more like brothers. Always did everything together, and Sue and my mom were pretty close too, but not as close as our dads. When Harry passed away, my dad made a vow at his funeral that he'd take good care of Harry's little princess. Leah.

Dad use to go over to the Clearwater's about 3 or 4 times a week to check up on them, it went on for about 4 months and stopped because Sue told him that she was now dating Charlie. It made my dad angry in the same way it made Leah. They were infuriated that Sue would just move on from Harry and onto Charlie, another one of their best friends. Leah leaned on my dad for comfort and support, and my dad, just as he had vowed, was always there for her no matter what. Leah was, in a way, like a daughter of his own. Because his own 2 daughters abandoned us. My dad would show up with a shot gun just as fast as Harry if anyone without boobs or a vagina came knocking at her door, or even looked at her the wrong way.

Even if she thinks no one cares, she's completely, one hundred percent, wrong. She's always had people everywhere looking out for her. Her mom, dad, and Seth. Ha. The Clearwaters. Anyone who messed with that family would regret it instantly. Not only wer Harry and Sue elders, but the entire family could really kick some serious ass. Especially Harry and Leah, those two are ferocious when it comes to fights. And lord knows Seth would go on a killing spree if anyone laid lustful eyes on his sister. Me and my dad would not think twice about helping Leah, anyone that messed with her or her family had to answer to us as well. And with my developed feelings for the she-wolf, I'm all but easy-going. Anyone with male genitals who comes near her won't have genitals to brag about too long after they approach her. Then there's the pack. They may be obnoxious and think of her in mildly sexual ways and annoy the hell out of her, but I know for a fact that if anyone ever thought about hurting her, they'd be dead. Every single one of the guys would murder anyone who not so much as grabbed her ass. No excuses, they'd be dead. Or very, _very, _seriously injured and on their death bed.

Take Paul for instance, he's usually the one out of all of us that mocks and fantasizes about Leah the most. But today...today when Leah was alone with those parasites, I had never seen him so angry or run so fast. I've never seen any of us run that fast. All because _our_ Leah was in danger.

Everyone in La Push knows Leah and knows who she hangs around with; Us, the big scary teenagers that look over 20. Everyone looks at us and automatically channel in their minds that she is_ off limits. _

What can we say? She's the girl and we're over-protective. We love her. It's simple.

We all know she loves us too, she's just too stubborn to admit it. But then again, none of the guys or even myself, would admit how much we truly care about her, because we're just as stubborn.

Once you're in a pack, everyone starts to think alike. As stupid as it sounds, it's true.

"He's okay," I answer, "but he's been coming up with a fever..."

She stopped dead in her tracks and scowled, "why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

_Because we never use to talk._

"You've always ignored everything I said..." I say, trailing off.

Her face softened and sighed, "I'm sorry. If anything happens or if he needs anything, don't hesitate to dial my number."

She apologized. Has hell frozen over or did that really just happen?

"I won't," I say, giving her a small smile.

"H-how is he though? Like, is the fever big?" she asked, moving closer to me.

I smiled inwardly at our arms accidentally brushing against each other.

"I honestly have no idea, Leah. Like I said, he has a fever," I said truthfully.

She seemed to be analyzing something in her head, because she was silent and very deep in thought.

"We're going straight to your house. I want to see him," she says, looking at me with a determined look in her eyes.

It's really funny how the girl I want to be with wants to visit my dad instead of me. No, it's really not that funny actually.

"Okay," I said, smiling down at her.

She gave me small smile, pleased with my agreement. I gave a little victory dance in my head at the sight of her small smile. _I _made her smile. Hell yeah! Take that Uley!

I'm just counting down the days until she gives me one of her full smiles. The ones she only gives to Seth and my dad. Well, I'm counting down the days for _that_, and until she finally accepts me and takes me in. As in be my girlfriend. You get the point.

"Why are you smiling?" she asks, giving me a weirded-out look.

So I'm still smiling. What a huge idiot I must look like right now.

"Because you're different from before," I say, watching for a reaction.

She looked confused. Her brows furrowed, forming a little crease on her forehead.

"What do you mean?" she finally asked.

I laughed, "I mean, you're not like how you use to be. You're being nice..."

She scowled and said, "would you like me to ruin the moment and turn into the _bitter harpy?_"

That hurt. I didn't like hearing her call herself a bitter harpy. My face fell and I felt the guilt eat at me from the inside out. I was the one who came up with the name.

"No," I whisper, not able to meet her eyes. "I like you better this way."

She stopped dead in her tracks. I slowly turned around, silently cursing myself for making her mad.

She stared at me for a couple of seconds, thinking again.

This girl thinks too much for her own damn good.

_I can fix that._

"Good," she says, walking past me and leaving me completely dumbstruck.

So she's not mad? What? God, this girl is gonna drive me crazy.

"That's it?" I ask, catching up to her.

"What's it?" she asked, staring ahead.

"You're not going to hit me or anything?" I ask, already flinching in case of a sneak attack.

She laughed an actual melodious laugh and said, "do you _want _me to hit you, Black? I can break your nose if you really want me to."

I relaxed at her threat and laughed along.

It felt damn good to laugh along with her.

"We're here," she announced happily.

WHAT?!

I looked around frantically and found that we were already standing on my porch.

"What is _with_ you?" she asks, narrowing her eyes at me.

"I just didn't realize we were here already," I say, turning the knob and letting her enter the house first.

"Billy?" Leah called out, "Billy are you here?"

"Lee, is that you?" I heard my dad say in a hoarse voice.

He wheeled himself out with a surprised face. He looked a mess. He had heavy bags beneath his eyes, his skin was looking sallow, and it looks like he's been losing weight.

Leah looked over at me glared at me, "you told me it was a fever."

I put my hands up in defense, "I told you I didn't know what was going on."

She rolled her eyes and went to speak to my dad.

"-really sweetheart, I'm fine. I promise to call you if anythings wrong," my dad assured her.

She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "thanks, Billy."

Oh man, I would kill to have her lips on _me_ instead of my dad's cheek.

She left for the door, but I caught her arm, "where do you think your going?"

"My house?" she said, making it sound like a question.

"Sorry but, Sam doesn't want anyone going anywhere alone. Especially you." I let go of her arm and shrugged, not feeling sorry at all.

She exhaled sharply and said in a stiff voice, "then walk me home."

It was very clear that she didn't want to seem like the underdog, the one everyone had to look after, but orders were orders. And I'm not so sure I resent Sam's orders. Not with Leah as my partner. I'm just dandy, that's just more Jacob-Leah time.

I let go of her arm and led her outside. "Jacob wait! I need to have a word with you!"

I turned around and walked into the house to answer my dad, "yeah?"

Billy looked out the door to see if Leah was still there. Then he whispered very softly so that only I could hear, "whatever your doing to get to her, it's working. I know there's a possibility that you'll imprint, but I trust that you won't hurt her. So good luck."

I gaped at him. Was he _serious? _My old man even wants me with Leah!

"You want me to get with Leah," I repeated.

He nodded, "good luck. And hurry home. I want to know what happened today. I heard the howl."

"You heard that?" I asked.

"_Everyone_ in the state of Washington heard it! That was one hell of a howl," he laughed.

I sighed, "okay. I'll see you later then."

I walked out and shut the door to meet a waiting Leah. The moonlight was illuminating her skin, making her glow. Not glow like the leeches eyes, but glow in radiant beauty.

_Damn, when did I become so damn corny?_

"What'd Billy want?" she asked, waiting 'till I was beside her to start walking down the gravel road.

"We were discussing some father-son things," I say, grinning like a fool.

"Riiiiiighht."

We both tensed at the sight of a hooded walking figure, but relaxed when we saw it was just a normal human man.

"Hey baby, how 'bout you ditch steroids and come kick it with me," he said, trying to sound seductive.

I decided to let Leah handle this one. I'm not exactly sure she'd want me to be all protective and whatnot, especially in front of someone as harmless as a human man.

_Pathetic, _I sing-songed in my mind.

Leah rolled her eyes, clearly not impressed. That made me smile.

When she didn't answer, the man walked closer, making the both of us tense again.

The man looked Leah over, scanning her body up and down. His eyes locked on her bare legs and it _that's _when I decided I don't care if Leah gives me hell for making her look defenseless in front of someone. I will not allow any man to look at her that way. It took all my restraint not to knock all his teeth out.

I possessively wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. I was surprised when she didn't pull away.

I thought the bastard would get the hint, but of course he didn't. He needed a little more convincing.

"Moron," Leah said under her breath before wrapping her own arm around _my _waist. At this point I was grinning ear to ear at our close proximity.

"C'mon babe, you know you want this," he said, wiggling his eyebrows. I could distinctly smell the marijuana swaying off of his body.

So he's high. Very high. And this is probably the bastard that's been selling weed to the kids in La Push. I growled and locked my eyes with the beady-eyed bastard.

What Leah did next totally took me off guard. She released her arm from my waist and threw both arms around my neck and planted her lips over mine.

At first I was too shocked to know what was happening, but the next thing I knew, we were kissing. She opened her mouth tentatively, and I slid my tongue in willingly. She kissed me just as fiercely as I was kissing her. I was in heaven. She pulled on my hair, pulling me closer, and I held tightly onto her waist, feeling the warmth radiating off her body. I was getting into it, and so was she. But I knew she was going to deny it later. Or at least try to.

All I could think of at the moment was, thank God for Marijuana.

She broke off the kiss, panting, locking her eyes with mine. She fought to keep herself from smiling, and turned towards the man.

He was shaking with rage. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought his greasy ass would've exploded into a wolf. But, I do know better, and there is no way in hell that our ancestors would _ever_ let a reject like him have the honor of being a 'protector.'

He took out what looked like a switchblade and I was instantly in front of Leah. I snarled, not caring if I phased in front of him or not.

The asshole gave me a mischievous smile and said, "you want to die first?"

Leah snorted at his comment from behind me, and I smiled to myself knowing she trusted me.

He threw the switchblade at me and I caught it with ease just before it reached my face. The mans eyes widened in horror.

"Who are you?" he asked, scared shitless.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, asshole," Leah answered, stepping out from behind me.

I laughed, swinging an arm around her shoulders. _That's my girl._

Leah walked towards the guy, and kneeled in front of him.

She smiled down at him, and then punched him in the nose. It made a crunching sound. Good, she broke it. I grinned.

"OW! THAT HURT YOU-"

"That's for throwing a damn switchblade at him you horse-faced piece of donkey shit!"

She _skipped_, rather adorably, back into my embracing arms. We walked away, leaving the stupid fucker there with a broken nose.

We walked in silence towards her house, my arm still around her shoulders. I'm surprised to say the least, that she hasn't asked me to let go.

Then I remembered something extremely amusing, and burst out laughing. "Horse-faced piece of donkey shit?"

I saw the blood rush to her cheeks as she tried to explain how on earth she came up with that ridiculous insult.

"Well, he asked who you are, and I said it wasn't his business because we're werewolves. I wasn't thinking of your name because I wasn't going to blurt it out to him. Anyway, I thought of werewolves and how we're the size of horses, and then his ugly face, and put the two together: Horse-faced. Then I was gonna call him a piece of shit, but then I just randomly added donkey in there because a donkey looks like a smaller version of a horse, and I'm much smaller than you and the rest of the guys. So I called him a horse-faced piece of donkey shit..."

I stared at her in complete adoration, and burst out laughing again. She elbowed my ribs, but cracked a smile nonetheless.

"You're so cute, Leah" I said, pulling her closer.

She snorted, "you're not so bad yourself, Black."

I beamed, because I knew that even if it came out as a joke, I knew there was some truth to her words.

We reached her house far too soon than I wanted. We reached her doorstep and I released my arm from her, instantly feeling cold.

She turned to face me, and kissed me lightly on the cheek, "thanks for saving my butt. Again."

"Anytime," I said stupidly, touching the area where her soft lips had just kissed. I could still feel that spot burning from her warm lips.

She laughed and let herself in the house.

"Goodnight, Jacob. Maybe this whole partner thing won't be as bad as I thought," she said, leaning against the door frame.

"I told you we'd be great partners," I smirked, wiggling my eyebrow at her.

"Don't get too cocky, Black."

"Whatever you say, Clearwater," I said, winking at her.

"Goodnight, Jake," She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"G'night, Lee," I said, backing away, my eyes never leaving hers.

She smiled and closed the door.

Sam's gonna get mad at me for walking alone at night, but whatever, at least I didn't let Leah walk home alone. He would've suffered from a panic attack if I did.

I was grinning like a fool. Things actually kind of went smoothly today, minus the two shit-head parasites, I got Leah to sort of become comfortable around me.

I mean, she let me hold her close to me the whole way to her house. She even let me call her 'cute' without gauging out my eyes. And the way she kissed me...it's like she's been wanting to do it for a while, it was so urgent and passionate and _perfect_. Even with the _horse-faced piece of donkey shit_ watching us, it still didn't ruin the moment. That's got to count for something right?

I know she likes me, her body language was practically screaming it. I saw the way she was looking at me, there was no way she didn't at least feel a little bit of something.

I remembered the way she was afraid for me when I lost my temper with the vampires.

She cares about me, I know that. I'm a part of the pack, of course she cared. But she also _likes_ me and is too stubborn to admit it.

That's okay though, just like that leech, Jayden, I like a challenge.

The only difference is the leech won't have Leah, _I will._

Besides, Leah likes her guys alive. I mean, I just started talking to her and everything, but I can pretty much guess necrophilia isn't her thing.

She'll come around one day. She likes me, and I want to hear her say it.

One thing I am for sure positive of is that I cannot wait until tomorrow nights bonfire. I've formed a bond with Leah, and I know she feels the same way. And I'm going to make sure I'm right.

* * *

**Authors Note: **I was actually going to write from both Leah's and Jacob's POV, but I got carried away with Jacobs ;) I hope you all liked it :) REVIEWS! Do you think having the two kiss in this chapter was too soon?


	6. Bon Fire

Chapter Six: Bon Fire

* * *

**Leah's POV**

I went to sleep last night with a smile on my face and I woke up this morning grinning like a fool. I leaped down the stairs laughing along to Seth's lame jokes. Things were different. I feel...happy? Yeah, that's what it is. It bothered me to know that the cause of all my happiness was Jacob Black. But hey, if he's the one to lead me out of my depression, then I'll take what I can get. Beggars cant be choosers.

I thought about the way we kissed. The way he tightened his hold on my waist and clung to me like a magnet. The way I fit perfectly in his arms. The way our lips moved in synchronization. Oh God, it was freaking magnificent! I enjoyed the kiss far more than I should of, and by the way he was kissing me back, I knew he was enjoying himself. Even with the dirty grease-ball standing there watching us, it didn't stop us. Our lips stayed locked together, burning with such fierceness. I remember how he hesitated at first, but soon gave in. I remember how he kissed me with so much passion, so much...need. I am by no means complaining, Jacob Black is one hell of a kisser. Way better than Sam _ever _was. Sam was always too gentle, and it annoyed the hell out of me how he always tried being a softy. But this isn't about Sam or how good of a kisser Jacob was. This is about how much I _needed_ his lips on mine. I needed that kiss just as much as he did. And I don't regret it.

There was a protectiveness that Jake had over me that really should have pissed me off last night. The way he stepped in front of me, shielding me from the 'danger' that lied before me. Seriously, if Jake had done this a week ago, I would've attacked him instead of the stoned idiot. But last night was different...Watching him immediately take a protective stance in front of me made my heart flutter and my stomach fill with butterflies. Because I could already see that he actually did care about me, it made me feel almost..._loved._ But of course that thought will never _ever_ cross my mind again, because fate hates me. Because if I coexist with love again, I'll end up like I did a year ago. A heartbroken wreck, only capable of creating havoc. I won't let that happen.

Even if I do have feelings for my fellow pack member, I'm not gonna admit it. And even if I was going to tell him how I felt, he'd have to go first. Leah Clearwater never goes first. I'm not going to make a fool out of myself. Never again.

Bottom line? I like him. A_ lot._ But I'm not going to admit it...yet. Of course not, I'm stubborn, remember?

But just because I'm happy at the moment, doesn't mean I'm gonna lose the attitude. I'm Leah Clearwater for Christ's sake! I can't just go from bitch mode to happy-go-lucky. No way, being a bitch is too much fun. Literally and figuratively speaking.

"Whatever it is that got you to smile like that, thank it for me," Seth said, pushing a bowl of cereal to me.

"Thanks, and I will...in time," I said, shoveling food in my mouth.

"You look good today," he said, taking a seat next to me.

I gave him a cold glare.

"Are you implying that I look like shit every other day?"

"N-No! C'mon Lee, you know that's not what I meant! I just meant it's good to finally see you smile."

"I was just kidding Sethy-poo...and thanks," I laughed, ruffling his hair.

He gave a sigh of relief and asked if I was busy today.

"Nope. Why?" I asked.

He scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile, "we're kinda out of food. So I was wondering if we could go grocery shopping?"

I laughed at his expression and nearly choked on my cereal. He patted my back, rolling his eyes.

"Seriously Leah, we're out of food and I'm starving. Cereal just doesn't cut it for me."

"Yeah, we'll go right when we're done, kay?"

He grinned and kissed the top of my head, "thanks Lee."

I snorted, and devoured the rest of my cereal. I gave an unsatisfied sigh, Seth is right, cereal just doesn't compare to sausages, bacon, and eggs for breakfast. I ran up to my room in search of my secret stash of cash and dad's car keys.

"Ready to go?" Seth asked, as I bounded down the stairs.

"Yep, you wanna drive?" I asked, throwing him the keys.

His eyes widened as he caught the keys. "REALLY?! But mom _never _lets me drive the car."

"Well she lives with Charlie, so that really doesn't matter now. _I'm _letting you," I said scowling.

Mom and Charlie. Ew. I hate the fact that mom jumped onto another guy not even a year after my dad died. With one of dad's best friends too. And how the hell could Charlie let it happen? They were best friends. I mean, what the hell, did dad mean nothing to them? I'm still grieving for the loss of my dad, and there they are sleeping together like he never existed. Fucking traitors. It's like they already forgot about him.

I cringed at the thought of my dad looking down on mom and Charlie, weeping.

I never forgot my dad and neither has Seth. _We'll always remember you, daddy._

"Thanks Leah!" Seth said, pulling me into a hug, then running out to the car.

Jesus, _anything_ makes the kid happy. It's just a car!

I followed after him, all thoughts of my mom and Charlie gone. How can I stay in a bad mood with the little butthole around? I love the kid too much to bring him down. I hate putting him in a bad mood, it's like torturing a panda bear.

"So are we going down to Forks, or to the local grocery store?" I asked, getting into the passengers seat.

"How 'bout we go to Forks?" he suggested, putting the car in drive.

"Sure, I haven't been there in a while. And they probably have a bigger selection of food to choose from."

And then we were off. The drive took us about 30 minutes, but I didn't mind. Seth was hilarious and kept me occupied.

* * *

"Should we stop by and visit mom and Charlie?" he asked, throwing in four boxes of pop tarts into our cart.

We looked at each other for a moment and burst out laughing, earning lots of stares from the surrounding people.

"Sike!" he yelled, as he took the cart from me.

Seth too, didn't like the idea of mom and Charlie together. It hurt him just as much as it hurt me that they moved on from dad so quickly. Because just like me, he was still hurting over the loss of daddy. But Seth will be Seth, he didn't ponder over it like I did. He tried ignoring it and thought of other things. The kid always has to look on the bright side of things. He had told me once that he hasn't really found a bright side of the situation yet, so he was just going to ignore it. But in the end, his thoughts always came to: _"Whatever makes mom happy."_

"Should we get this?" he asked, picking up a package of ground beef.

"Only if you're a carnivore," I said, rolling my eyes.

He snorted and threw in 3 packages.

Our cart was packed, it was overflowing with food of all sorts, so we grabbed another cart. I was starting to get a little nervous about the cost, I only bought $300. Seth and I walked towards one of the cash registers and unloaded our truckload of food.

The cashier, a blonde, short-haired girl with green, beady eyes, and few freckles had her jaw on the ground at the sight of the amount of food we had filling our carts.

"Is this all for the two of you?" she asked, eyeing me skeptically.

I was about to answer, but my dear brother decided to cut in.

"Yep, all for us," he said proudly.

Okay, cool. Now she thinks we're insane for buying a years supply of food.

The blonde snapped her head in Seth's direction and gave a flirty smile.

"Are you from La Push?" she asked Seth in an innocent voice.

I rolled my eyes. _Seriously? La Push is the closest Native American tribe to Forks, where else would we be from?_

"Sure am," Seth replied, pulling out his wallet.

I started packing the food into plastic bags and loading them back into the carts, while listening to the girl attempt to hit on my brother.

She seemed a little irritated that Seth wasn't giving her the attention she was craving. She stood up straighter and pushed her chest out.

"So, is that your girlfriend?" she asked, jerking her head towards me.

"Nah, she's my sister. Is...is something wrong with your back?" Seth replied, cocking an eyebrow at her.

I coughed, trying to hide my laugh. I was dying of laughter on the inside. Seth was so innocent it was painfully hilarious.

Could Seth be any more clueless? I smiled to myself, knowing my brother wasn't interested in the slut. What girl with self-respect pushes her boobs out to get a guys attention? I mean seriously, come on.

"Uh-no, I was just stretching my back..." she said, awkwardly.

Seth nodded in response, clearly not giving a damn.

I searched for the girls name tag, wanting to know her name. I found it hanging down the side of her leg. It read in big, bold, letters: Lauren M.

"So anyway, my name's Lauren...Is all this food for a party? I love parties! Getting wasted and letting loose is great...if you know what I mean," she winked.

I rolled my eyes. He gave her a long, confused look. After what seemed like 60 years, comprehension finally dawned on his face.

"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Seth. And uh, no, it's not for a party, it's just for us. And no, I really have no idea what your talking about," he said, giving her his 'what-the-fuck?' look.

She exhaled sharply and scanned the last few of our items very sharply.

"That'll be $228.36," she said.

I pulled out my wallet, but Seth stopped me. "I got it," he said.

"No, it's okay, I brought money." I did not want my brother paying for all of this.

"Leah, no. I dragged you all the way down here," he whined.

Damnit! I hate when he uses that voice! He knows I can't say 'no' to his whiney voice!

"Aw, please Seth, I have a shit load of cash at home. I'll let you pay me back some other day if you want," I pleaded.

He gave a sigh of defeat and muttered a "fine."

I gave Lauren 2 hundreds, a twenty, and a ten. And she gave me $1.64 in change, back.

"You know, you're really cute. I'm sure you'd fit right in if I took you to one of my friends' parties," she purred.

When he didn't respond, she batted her eyelashes.

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," he said, grinning at her.

Wait what? Hold up! What the fuck, Seth?!

He turned to face me and winked.

_Ooooooh. _Okay, so he's just trying to get her to shut up. Okay, good.

"Cool! Here, let me give you my number," she squealed.

I packed up the remaining food and loaded them into the cart, while Lauren wrote down her number on a piece of paper.

I rolled my eyes at her as she held onto my brothers hand longer then necessary, placing the piece of paper onto his palm.

"Thanks, _Lauren,_" Seth said, pulling his hand away.

We walked out of the grocery store, each pushing a cart.

"Did you see the way she was looking at me?!" he whispered, crinkling the paper she had given him, and throwing it on the ground.

I laughed, "yeah, she was looking at you like you were a cupcake and wanted to eat you."

"Well," he smirked, "I don't blame her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, totally lost.

"Well, I'm one hell of a good-looking guy. It's not my fault she's attracted to my irresistible good looks."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed.

"Really Seth, you look good because you're like a replica of me, except more manly," I teased.

"So _that's_ why I've been getting weird looks from Paul," he sighed, shaking his head dramatically.

We burst into laughter. If Paul were here, he would've already been on the verge of phasing from Seth's comment.

We were placing the grocery bags into the trunk of the car when I felt a hand grab my butt.

I whipped around in surprise and saw a balding man in his early forties standing behind me with a smirk on his face.

I didn't even hear his footsteps coming near. I was probably too occupied with putting the groceries away, but still...Jeez, I gotta pay more attention to my surroundings. I don't want another stranger coming up to me and feeling up on my ass.

"What the hell is your problem?" I snarled.

"What's wrong?" Seth asked.

He noticed I had stopped working. He turned around and faced the man with accusing eyes.

"He grabbed my ass!" I growled.

I was ready to charge at the idiot when Seth's extended an arm in front of me to stop me.

I saw Seth's nostrils flare and his eyes darken with rage.

Seth very calmly, walked over beside me and stood in front of the man. He towered over the man, his eyes burning a hole through the mans scull. The man backed up a step, the infuriating smirk never left his face. Seth flexed his hand and punched him straight in the face.

The man toppled over and cried in pain.

"You're lucky there are people around, I would've snapped your neck if there weren't," Seth said, in a very calm voice.

The man was clutching his face, and I noticed the blood start too ooze from his mouth. I smirked.

"You'll heal," I said to the man, and let myself into the car, not feeling sorry at all.

God, I love Seth! He's so badass! And that calm voice! Was that shit scary or what? God, I love Seth!

"That was fantastic," I complimented, as he put the car in reverse.

"Thanks, I try," he joked, all signs of rage gone.

"He deserved it," I snorted.

"Sure as hell did," he agreed, "felt good too."

I laughed and he joined along.

The ride back home was much louder and hysterical than it was coming down to Forks. Seth decided to turn on the radio and we tried as hard as we could to sing along to a song without laughing.

"P-P-P-Poker face, P-P-Poker face!" Seth chanted.

I had tears running down my cheeks from laughing so hard at his attempts to match Lady Gaga's lyrical skills to his own. Soon a song that I had stuck in my head because Jared always sung it in his head came on.

"I like that boom boom pow, them chickens jackin' my style, they try to copy my swagger, I'm on that next shit now. I'm so 3008, you so 2000 and late, I got that boom boom boom, that future boom boom boom, let me get it now! Hit it Leah!" Seth sang, mimicking Fergie.

"I got that supersonic boom, ya'll hear that spaceship zoom, w-when I step inside the room them girls go ape-ape uh. Ya'll stuck on super 8-a-8, that low-fi stupid 8-bit. I'm, I'm on that HD-flat, this beat go boom boom bap. Take it Seth!" I sang, letting him have the next verse.

"I'm a beast when you turn me on, into the futer cybertron, harder, faster, better, stronger, sexy ladies, extra longer. 'Cos we got the beat that bounce, we got the beat that pound, we got the beat that 808, that boom boom in your town!" Seth was nodding his head, matching the beat of the tempo.

I turned off the radio, letting him free himself of his hysterical fits of laughter. I grinned at him, thinking about the last time I had this much fun, and how glad I was that I got to share my new-found happiness with Seth.

"That was hilarious!" Seth said, wiping away his tears.

"It was, and you _almost _sounded like Fergie, keep working on it," I laughed.

* * *

"We're ho-ome!" Seth bellowed in a sing-song voice.

We unloaded the vehicle of all our food, and shoved everything in the fridge. It was a miracle that everything had fit.

"Seth, I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up an hour before the bon fire," I said, as he drained one of our six boxes of apple juice empty.

"Kay," he said, smacking his lips.

I walked into the living room and fell onto the couch. I had fun today, and it felt good to let loose for once. Seth looked like he was enjoying our time together as well. He was absolutely beaming.

I fell into a deep slumber with a smile on my face, thinking nothing could ruin my good mood today. And then I dreamt. Of Jacob Black, that is.

* * *

**Seth's POV**

She was finally smiling again. Real, happy smiles. Her usual blank face was now lit up like a torch. It's freaking remarkable. She's laughing again, too. I haven't heard the sound of her laughter since she was with Sam. It was like music to my ears, just hearing the sound of her laugh brought back happy memories. I couldn't keep myself from grinning ear to ear today, her happiness made me want to do backflips! And when that old fucker grabbed her ass, I wanted so badly to break every single one of his bones, I was afraid Leah's good mood would get ruined. But...it didn't. She turned and grinned at me and told the fool 'he'd heal.'

I took a seat next to her sleeping figure on the couch and watched her breathe in and out peacefully. No, I wasn't watching her like Edward did with Bella - that's creepy. I was marveling at how much younger she looked now that she wasn't in one of her bitter tantrums.

I had absolutely nothing to do. I really had no life. It's all family and pack business. Theres really not much of a thrill to it anymore. Ever since the army of vampires came 6 months ago, nothing interesting or remotely suspenseful happened. But last night changed everything. Now we'll be on the lookout, always playing the 'game' in order to keep Leah safe. There's no point in watching where we go, the vampires aren't trying to capture me or any of the guys, it's Leah they want. So we're just looking out for her.

I remember the way the vampire, Jayden, looked at Leah. It bothered the hell out of me. And Jacob. He held so much possessiveness and lust in his eyes. I saw how his eyes followed her every move. Him and his friend smelled even worse than the Cullens, but for some reason, neither him or his friend seemed bothered by our scent. Maybe they were ignoring the smell, or holding their breath, but they sure as hell didn't seem the least bit phased by our pack or our smell.

I wasn't paying as much attention to what Jayden and his friend were saying, so I wasn't as mad as much as the other guys were. I mean yeah, I was pissed, but I was too preoccupied with his eyes. The blue rims. I was paying attention to his eyes more than what he was saying, which is a pretty stupid thing to do, but still...when Leah was by herself in the forest with the two vampires, I saw his eyes though her mind, they were glowing. But when Paul made it to the clearing with Leah, the glow from the vampires' eyes were dimming. And then when the whole pack made it to the clearing, Jayden's eyes weren't glowing anymore. There was still a blue lining circling his pupils, it was like a light being switched off, the blue rim was just a faded lining of what was on fire mere seconds ago.

When leah stood between Sam and Jacob, I saw Jaydens eyes go black. Maybe standing between the two biggest wolves intimidated him. And when he informed us that he was here for Leah, of course I couldn't help the growl that came out of my mouth. At that point I didn't care what the leech had to say or how his eyes were changing, it was my sister he was putting in danger, and I wasn't having any of that!

As if I'd _ever _let them lay their hands on my sister. As if they'd ever get the chance to even _talk_ to her again. As if me or any of the other guys would let them walk out _"alive" _again. No fucking way!

I shook my head, getting every thought about the leeches out of my head. Now I was bored. I had nothing whatsoever to do.

So what do I do now that Leah's asleep and the bon fire doesn't start for about 2 hours? Call Jacob.

I pulled out my cell and dialed his number.

"Hello?" he answered lazily.

"Oh hey dude, it's Seth."

"Hey man, whats up?"

"Not much, we just came back from the grocery store and now I have nothing to do, wanna come over?"

"You went with Leah?" he asked, suddenly attentive.

I rolled my eyes and grinned. He is so whipped!

"No Jake, the woman three blocks from me-of course I went with Leah!"

He laughed, "my bad Seth, and sure, I'll come over. I got nothing else to do anyways."

"kay, see you in a few-"

"Wait seth!"

"What?" I asked.

"Wheres your sister?" he asked quietly.

"uh, she's right here...did you want to, uh, talk to her?"

Well this is awkward...

"Uh, no...I was just, uh,checking, ya know...to see if she was alright..." he mumbled awkwardly.

I snorted.

"Quit drooling over my sister and hurry your ass up, I'm bored," I teased.

"Shut it, kid," he growled.

"Whatever, see you in a few," I laughed.

"Bye."

Dial tone.

I laughed, thinking about how awkward Jake's voice got when he asked about Leah.

She groaned and shifted her body into a ball, it's actually kind of adorable. If she saw how much of a little kid she looked like when she was asleep, she'd definitely freak. So I'm not gonna tell her, instead I'm gonna let her look innocent for once. Her head was now laying on my lap. Lots of people would probably think it looked wrong to have my sisters head lying on my lap, but she's my sister and I love her. I sure as hell don't think of my sister in gross, incestual ways, I'll just always be there for her to lean on. Even as a pillow.

I spaced-out, staring at the ceiling. I hadn't even noticed that Jake had walked through the door.

"Your sister's hotter than your ceiling, Seth." Jake was smirking.

I narrowed my eyes, "watch it, Jake."

"Relax kid, I didn't mean it...well, yeah, actually I did. But really, chill out," he grinned, making his way to the loveseat.

I exhaled sharply. "Whatever."

He had a curious expression on his face, "why does it bother you so much what _I _think? You don't care about what the other guys think."

His eyes were set on Leah's sleeping figure.

_Because the other guys don't like her like you do. The other guys like her because of her appearance._

"Because out of all of you, you're the only one that actually has a chance," I sighed.

His face brightened. "Really? You really think I have a chance with her?"

"Yes."

"I don't understand...is it a bad thing that I have a chance? I thought you said it was okay...?" he asked, furrowing his brows. Eyes still glued on Leah.

"No, I don't have a problem with it...it's just, you and everyone else talk about her like she's a piece of meat. Just...show some respect towards her, okay?"

It's weird talking to Jake about this stuff. I wouldn't mind if we were talking about some other girl, but this is my sister. It's just...uncomfortable.

His face softened and he gave me a genuine smile.

"Sorry Seth, it was just a joke. You know I would never disrespect Leah in any way. And even if I did, she'd surely kick my ass for it."

I nodded. He's right. If he disrespected her in anyway, he'd receive a hard kick in his sacred marbles. Doesn't change the fact that it's awkward though.

He stared at my blank expression and put his head in his hands.

There was an awkward silence that filled the room, and I didn't want to be the one to break it. Jacob lifted his head from his hands and faced me.

"Fine," he sighed, "Seth, I think...No. I _know_...well, I'm not sure your gonna understand but...I-I...I l-"

"-stop right there. Let's not talk about you and Leah right now. I'm getting uncomfortable. I forgive you Jake, and I believe that you won't disrespect her. I appreciate that you will treat her well, and I trust you, thanks. Let's just move on to a different topic."

_You should've let him finish what he was saying!_

I was scared. Yep, scared. I know exactly what he was going to say, but I'm keeping that thought out of my head. This is between him and Leah, and I know he's a loyal and trustworthy person, so I have nothing to worry about. Except imprinting, which is probably why this relationship scares the hell out of me. I don't wanna see Lee get crushed again by imprinting, she deserves her own happy-ending for once.

"Okay," Jake said awkwardly.

"You want something to eat?" I asked, hoping to get rid of the awkward tension.

He tore his eyes away from Leah to look at me and grin, "sure."

I gently lifted Leah's head off of me and slipped a pillow under her head. Jake walked into the kitchen with me and opened the fridge. Lots of the guys came over a lot, so they usually just walked into our fridge like it were their own. Jake grabbed us cold-turkey sandwiches and soda. Me and Leah bought about 20 cold-turkey sandwiches because we're too lazy to get up and make sandwiches ourselves. It makes life easier.

"You think the elders are gonna be at the bon fire tonight?" I asked, opening my can of soda.

He took a huge bite out of his sandwich with an annoyed look on his face.

"They are. My dad heard Paul howl, and wanted to know everything that happened, so yeah, they'll be there," he said distastefully.

"Shit, it's gonna take forever! You know how they get when they start talking, they can go on for days!"

Damnit! Damnit! Damnit! I do NOT want to sit on a log all night listening to the elders discussing stuff none of us even pay attention to.

"Trust me, I know. I live with one, remember?" he scowled, taking a sip of his soda.

"Sucks for you, mine moved out," I replied cheerfully, thinking about how mom now lived with Charlie.

I quickly dismissed the thought from my head. I don't want to think about those two right now. That's just...messed up and...ew.

Jacob snorted, "tell me about it."

"Seth?"

Leah. We both froze, afraid that we awoke her.

"Yeah?" I called, nervously.

"Who are you talking to?" she asked.

Before either of us could answer, she walked into the kitchen.

Her eyes immediately landed on Jacob.

"Oh. Hi." she said awkwardly.

"Hey," he breathed, dazed.

She took a seat next to Jake on a stool and laid her head down.

"You okay?" I asked, worriedly.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine. What are you guys doing?" she lifted her head back up and faced us.

"Nothing, we were just eating," Jake said taking another sip of his soda.

She grabbed his sandwich and took a bite out of it, "these are really good. So glad we bought them."

I nodded my head in agreement.

"That was my sandwich." Jake stated.

She cocked an eyebrow, "what's your point?"

"Nothing, go ahead, you can have the rest." A smirk was forming at his lips.

She rolled her eyes and held back a smile, "if you insist."

He watched her quickly devour the sandwich with a dazed look on his face. She knew he was watching her, but she didn't say anything. Why?

I felt oddly out of place. I felt like I was the third-wheel person. I sat there awkwardly watching Jake watch Leah in an almost desperate way.

"That was freaking delicious, remind me to get some more when we run out," Leah announced, grabbing Jake's soda in the process.

"Sure, you can have that too," Jake said sarcastically.

She grinned, "I know."

He grinned back.

This is too weird.

"Hey Seth, can I borrow a pair of your shorts?" she asked, bringing me out of my reverie.

"Sure, but why? What's wrong with yours?" I asked, pointing to the shorts she was wearing.

Actually no, those are really short. How did I let her walk out of the house without noticing what she was wearing? God, I sound like dad.

"I don't see anything wrong with those, they look pretty good to me," Jake said, staring at her bare legs.

EW!

Leah and I both socked him in the arm. What the fuck, he just said he wouldn't talk to her like that.

_It was a joke._

Whatever. Shut up.

"Dick," I said under my breath, hoping he heard it.

"Prick," Leah said, shaking her head.

Jacob wrapped an arm around her and gave her a sincere apology.

My jaw dropped. I was hoping she was gonna slap him across the face or something but instead she accepted his apology with a small smile and shoved his arm off _playfully_.

"_Anyways_, like I was saying, I need to borrow yours because all of my shorts and pants are in the washer. And I don't wanna wear these to the bon fire tonight," she said, pointing at the shorts she had on.

How are those things called shorts? They look like underwear things. I mean, I wouldn't mind them on someone else. But on Leah, it's just...it should be illegal.

"Oh okay, sure Lee, go ahead. There are some shorts in the bottom left drawer in my room."

"Kay thanks, Seth. I'm gonna go hit the shower." Jake's face fell at that.

She strode out of the room and up the stairs.

Once I heard the shower turn on, I spoke. "You arrogant bitch, she's my sister! If you wanna talk to her like that, wait 'till I'm out of the room!"

"My bad Seth, I kinda forgot you were here," he laughed.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Dude relax, it was just a joke. Seriously, calm down."

I sighed, "Your right. C'mon, help me clean this mess up."

We picked up our garbage and waited in the living room for Leah in silence. I'm still not used to the whole Jake-wants-to-get-with-Leah thing, and if I want to be able to have a normal conversation with Jake again, I'm gonna have to get used to it and endure all the awkwardness.

"I'm sorry Jake. It's just weird for me, you know? I don't mean to be an ass or anything, I'm still trying to get used to it," I said, feeling like a douche bag.

"It's okay kid, I understand entirely. When I first met Becca's husband I freaked out on him too," he said.

I nodded, shuffling my feet.

"She's lucky to have you as a brother, kid. You do a good job looking after her," he said truthfully.

My head perked up at that, and I gave him a toothy grin.

"Thanks Jake."

"Anytime, kid," he laughed, ruffling my hair.

"Do you guys know the time?" Leah yelled from inside the bathroom.

"It's 6, sharp! Hurry up, the bon fire starts in 30 minutes and we have to be there early 'cos the elders are gonna be there!" I yelled back.

"Aw, are you fucking kidding me?!" she whined, walking out of the bathroom with an annoyed expression.

She was already fully clothed. She wore my basketball shorts, and one of her spaghetti strap things, or whatever the hell they're called.

She bounded down the stairs, skipping 3 steps at a time.

"Why are they gonna be there?" she asked us.

Jacob was too busy staring at her to answer her question, so I answered.

"Because desperado here told his dad what happened yesterday, and now they're all frantic and worried."

She smirked, "desperado?"

Jacob scowled at me, and I winked at her.

She laughed, "nice one, Seth."

"Ha-ha, yes, that was very amusing indeed. Can we go now?" Jake growled.

Leah and I both smirked and nodded.

We didn't bother to lock our door, what's the point? People know better than to steal stuff from us. We're the Clearwater's, we're huge, and we hang out with other huge people. It's just common sense to not steal anything from us.

"Why'd you tell your dad what happened?" Leah asked Jake.

"He heard Paul howling and demanded to know what happened," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Damn," she said, "this is gonna take forever! You know how the council can get..."

I nodded, fully agreeing with her. I sure as hell did not want to sit on a log and listen to the council talk for hours.

"I know," he sighed.

The rest of the walk there was silent. Each of us thinking to ourselves silently.

When we reached First Beach, most of the guys were already there, sitting on the surround log. The elders haven't arrived yet, which meant we weren't late. Jake and I spotted a log that no one was seated on and bolted for it.

We reached it at the same time, pushing the other off, trying to get seated on it.

"I got here first kid, shove off!" he said.

"No way, it was a tie! Besides there's no where else to sit!" I fought back.

"Fine," he gave up, making room for me.

I grinned triumphantly and stopped immediately when I noticed Leah was no where in sight. And neither were Paul and Jared.

Jake seemed to notice as well because he nudged me on the side and asked, "where's Leah?"

I shrugged. We scanned the area, searching for Leah. We saw her walking at a normal pace with Paul and Jared.

Leah is walking with Paul and Jared? How did that happen? Those three can't go a minute without ripping each other apart!

"I found them," I told Jake.

"Thanks," he said with a blank face.

Leah, Paul, and Jared made their way past us and sat on a log that had no one sitting on it, from across the fire.

Jacob slowly turned his head towards me and said in an irritated voice, "I thought there were no seats left!"

"I didn't see that one," I smiled sheepishly.

I was telling the truth. There were three extra seats open that were next to Sam, but those were reserved for the elders.

He exhaled sharply and I rolled my eyes. He's just annoyed that he doesn't get to sit by Leah.

Jared and Leah were laughing at something that was making Paul shake violently. Leah gently laid a hand on Paul's shoulder and said something that put him on the verge of phasing.

Sam was watching the three very carefully, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

"Don't take it personally, Paul," Jared said in a mocking tone.

Leah snorted, then she and Jared burst into laughter. Paul phased, making them laugh so hard that their laughter wasn't making a sound.

I didn't understand what was so hilarious.

Paul snarled at the laughing two, baring his teeth.

Leah winked at him and he went off, barking furiously at them.

"ENOUGH!" Sam roared. "Jared! Leah! You will STOP provoking him! And Paul, PHASE BACK!"

Jared and Leah immediately got quiet, and looked at each other with amused smirks.

Paul whined, nudging his nose towards his shredded shorts.

Sam sat back down, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger.

Everyone sat in silence, watching him think. A mischievous smile slowly stretched across his face.

He looked towards Jared and Leah who had froze with wariness.

"Leah, you will lend Paul your shorts-"

"-WHAT?!" Leah interrupted furiously.

Jacob tensed, glaring daggers at Sam. What the hell is Sam thinking?

"I wasn't done. Let me finish. Leah, you will lend your shorts to Paul, and Jared, you will lend your shirt to Leah."

"WHAT?! NO!" Jared and Leah both yelled.

"That was an order," Sam said, amused.

The two looked at Paul who had his tongue lolling out into a wolfy grin. They both scowled at that.

Jared grudgingly took off his shirt and handed it to Leah, who had unwillingly took off the shorts she was wearing and threw it to Paul's paws.

I can understand why Leah's pissed off, but what's with Jared? I mean, it's just a shirt for crying out loud!

Leah slipped on Jared's shirt and sat back down, staring straight into the fire, like Jared had done.

Paul picked up my shorts with his teeth and trotted happily behind the trees.

He came out a moment later, my shorts fitting him well. He had a smug smile on his face as he made his way to Leah and Jared.

He took his seat next to Leah grinning like an idiot.

"Thanks for the shorts Leah, you're a life saver," he said in a mocking tone.

Jacob growled at Paul, about to charge at him. But I held him down, making sure we stayed out of the trouble.

I expected her to cuss him out or break his jaw. Instead she stared into the fire, fury blazing in her eyes.

Paul laughed, because he knew that Leah would get an earful from Sam if she started a fight with him.

"Hey Jared," Paul snickered, "good thing you brought a shirt, huh?"

Jared didn't answer, but I saw his jaw clench. He was staring into the fire just like Leah was, his eyes burning with just as much fury as hers.

Paul smirked when Jared didn't answer, a triumphant smile spreading across his face when he realized he had won.

Sam, who had been watching the three for quite some time, sighed. He stared at Leah's and Jared's furious faces from across the fire with a blank face.

This annoyed me. Why doesn't he have a smug smile mirroring Paul's? He got what he wanted, didn't he? What's with his blank face? Did he expect them to be _happy_? They can't withstand an alpha command. It's physically impossible, and he knows that.

"Paul, shut your ass up, and trade places with Jacob," Sam ordered.

Paul shrugged and walked around the fire to take Jake's spot. Jake on the other hand sprinted to the other side of the fire, wanting to be as close to Leah as possible. Once he got there, all the fury evaporated from his face, and his muscles relaxed.

_Wow, _I thought to myself. Him being next to Leah puts him at ease. It's like he needs her around to keep him sane. She doesn't even have to do anything to keep him calm, all she has to do is be next to him, whereas when I was sitting next to him, I had to use all my strength to hold him back from ripping Paul to pieces.

Jared and Leah still hadn't taken their eyes off the fire yet. They stared straight ahead with just as much intensity as they had before. Sam sighed, realizing his plan to get Jared and Leah to ease up by getting Paul away, didn't work.

"Everyone, stand up, the council is here," Sam announced.

Everyone stood up without a word, and sure enough the council had emerged from behind the trees.

"Hello everyone, good evening," Billy greeted.

Leah looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.

"Good evening," everyone else greeted back, robotically.

Billy, Old Quil, and my mom took their seats next to Sam.

"How are you all doing?" Old Quil asked, looking from one face to another.

He stopped at Leah and Jared, and raised his eyebrows. "Is something wrong? Leah? Jared?"

Mom's head whipped in Leah's direction and frowned.

"No, we're fine, just tired is all..." Jared said, gently elbowing Leah's arm.

She lifted her head from the fire and nodded, "yeah, really exhausted."

Jake rubbed Leah's back soothingly, whispering very softly into her ear.

"That's understandable. With vampires running around and your tiresome patrolling hours, it's quite understandable that the two of you are tired," Old Quil said, sympathetically.

They nodded, probably not even listening to a word Old Quil was saying.

"So, about the vampires Sam, tell me exactly what happened," Billy said, getting right down to buisness.

Sam looked troubled, looking for the right words to explain things thoroughly. "Leah was there for all of it, maybe you should ask her."

Billy nodded and turned to Leah, a small smile forming on his lips. "Lee?"

She sighed and nodded.

"I went into the forest for a walk, to clear my head, you know? The sun was still out at the time, and I guess I fell asleep because when I woke up, it was dark. I stood up to stretch, I was about to head home, but I heard the sound of twigs breaking. I immeditately tensed, and scanned the area for any sign of movement. Then the leech appeared out of nowhere. He introduced himself as Jayden, and he knew my name. He said he's been _'dying'_ to meet me. And his eyes...his eyes were weird, he had like a blue rim outlining his crimson pupils. And then his friend named Carter, came and was shocked that Jayden had actually 'found' me. So I guess they've been looking for me for quite some time. And then Paul phased..."

She looked around at the tense faces and stopped at Paul, giving him a grateful look. He winked at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"What happened next, dear?" Old Quil urged.

"Well, I told him to howl, because there were two strange vampires lurking, and so he did. That's the howl that you all, I'm guessing, heard."

The three elders nodded. Even my mom heard the howl and she lives the furthest away from everyone else.

"I heard his howl, and so did the vampires. But they weren't scared. It was like they were expecting it. One by one, everyone started phasing. Sam told me to stay where I was and to not try to fight them off myself. So I stayed put until Paul came. The other one, Carter, knew who Paul was and actually greeted him. They knew all of our names. Jayden asked me to phase back, but I didn't, and he got irritated with Paul's growling."

"Did you two try to fight them, then?" my mom asked, nervously.

"Well-"

"-No." Paul interrupted.

Everyone snapped their heads in Paul's direction. All eyes were on him now.

"We didn't fight them off because Carter is able to blind us, we wouldn't stand a chance against him if he blinded us. And Jayden wanted to wait for the rest of the pack."

The elders gasped, shocked.

"They knew there were more of you?" Old Quil gasped.

Every member of the pack nodded.

"They knew all of our names," Embry pipped up.

"Yeah, they greeted everyone of us by name once we arrived at the clearing," Jared finally spoke.

"You're hiding something." Billy stated, looking directly at Leah.

All of the guys tensed, knowing exactly what she didn't tell the elders.

"Leah?" Old Quil pushed.

"They're after me," she said, not meeting their eyes.

Everything went silent. The elders were at loss for words. Fear emanating from them.

"Leah, did Jayden mention his last name to you at all?" Billy asked, sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he said it was Crenshaw," she said, scratching the back of her neck nervously.

Old Quil nodded with an agonized face, "Leah, do you know why this vampire is after you?"

"Yeah, to kill me, what else? He told me my blood smelled unappetizing, so I don't see why he would want me then. Except dead, of course."

My eyebrows pulled together in infuriating. I was sure I knew why the leech wanted Leah, and I was dreading the answer. Sex.

Billy shook his head sadly and spoke in a tortured voice, "Leah, he wants you to be his mate."

All jaws from the pack dropped. All eyes were wide with confusion and fury, Leah's being the biggest at the moment, but Jake was catching up pretty quickly. He seemed to be getting angrier every minute.

Jacob put his arm possessively around Leah's shoulders and pulled her close. Sam cocked a questioning eyebrow at Jake, who was too busy trying to calm down to the sound of Leah's voice. I hadn't noticed that Leah was rubbing his arm soothingly and whispering things far too low for me to hear to Jacob under her breath.

"But...why?" Quil asked, confused.

"Leah, do you remember the time your father and I took you and your brother to the Forks playground and those snobby kids were there?" my mom asked, trying to hold back her tears.

Everyone, besides me, Leah, Billy, and Old Quil, stared at my mom in confusion.

Yeah, I remember, it didn't go too well. Me and Leah got into a fight with a couple of kids. Mom and dad had to apologize to several angry parents, saying we had 'anger issues.' She was 9 and I was 5, so of course no one believed them. But they let it go eventually when they realized that it was their kids starting all the problems.

"Yeah," Leah said, making it sound like a question.

"Do you remember what happened at the park?" my mom asked desperately.

Leah eyebrows furrowed, forming a crease on her forehead, "yeah, me and Seth got into a fight with the other kids."

"Come on mom, where are you going with this?" I asked irritably. I was getting far too impatient.

"Remember the three kids that _tried _sticking up for you?" she asked, directing her question more to Leah than me.

"No, why-"

"-YES!" Leah gasped, interrupting me.

"Jayden, Carter, and some other girl. But why-?"

HOLY SHIT! That was _them?!_

Sam tensed, and Jacob pulled Leah closer. Any closer and they're going to be combined into one.

"You pushed them away, not wanting their help, calling them vile names and telling Jayden, in particular, that you wouldn't ever give him a 'chance.'"

"So?" Leah hissed, "the bastard deserved it. He wouldn't leave me alone."

"S'okay babe, calm down," I heard Jacob whisper to her. A few of the guys looked at Jacob curiously after his comment.

"I spoke to his parents that day, sweetheart. His mother said he tends to get...obsessive, while his father said he doesn't take 'no' for an answer and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants..."

Everyone, besides the elders, gave my mom a questioning look, urging her on.

"Sweetheart," Billy sighed, "he's been after you since the day you said _no._"

My jaw dropped. Leah's jaw dropped. Sam crushed a twig in his hand. Jacob pulled Leah even closer, hugging her even tighter. Jared was unconsciously squeezing Leah's free hand. Embry clenched his fists. Quil was cursing profanities under his breath. And Paul was trembling violently.

"He died about 6 or 7 months ago," Old Quil said, breaking the silence.

"I think I know what vampire bit him," Sam said, tensely.

"Who?" Old Quil asked curiously.

"Victoria." Sam stated. "She was the reason for all the deaths a couple of months ago. That's why we allied with the Cullens, because she started the war, creating many newborns."

He's right. Victoria turned a whole bunch of people. I remember the vampire that me and Edward fought. He was was so young, about the same age as Jayden. He had no idea what he was doing. I'm sure it was Victoria that turned him. But what about Carter?

"What about Carter?" I asked.

"He might've died the same way as this Jayden," Billy said.

"How come we didn't hear about their deaths?" Embry asked.

"Because we live in La Push and all of you have no time to be informed of news from Forks. Always on patrol," my mom said sadly, her eyes casting downward.

"So he wants me because of what went down at a playground when were just kids?" Leah asked.

"Yes," the elders answered.

"So now your going to tell me to be careful and always be on the watch?" Leah pushed.

"Yes," they answered again.

"Okay, I'll be careful from now on. Sam already assigned us partners, that way we won't be alone no matter what. So can I go home now? This is a lot to take in, and I'm exhausted..." Leah said, getting to her feet.

Jared released his tight grip on her hand, and gave a confused look to a scowling Jacob.

"Sure, sweetie, go ahead. Good night," my mom said. Billy and Old Quil nodded in agreement.

"Jake?" Leah asked, extending her hand towards his.

Wait. Wait a minute. She WANTS to hold his hand? I was gonna walk with her...

Jake took her hand without a word and happily walked into the forest with her.

"Can I go too? I live with her, you know," I asked, not wanting to leave Leah in the house herself. Not that Jake would do that, but still...

"Go ahead, son," Old Quil said.

I picked up my pace and ran after Jake and Leah.

I spotted the two of them walking at a normal pace. Leah's hand was laced with Jacob's own, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

They looked...perfect. I didn't want to intrude or anything, so I decided I would let them have their space together.

I thought it'd take at least a month for Leah to warm up to Jacob, but I guess I was wrong. It's been how long? 2 days? This would've bothered me any other day, but for now, I'm surprisingly happy that she has Jacob. And I'm glad he has Leah. Lord knows they both deserve to be happy.

I kept a steady pace about 20 yards behind them. The two of them suddenly stopped walking. I hid behind a tree, afraid that they had heard my footsteps.

"Okay, fine! I'm scared, okay? I'll admit it. Are you happy Jacob?!" I heard Leah say furiously.

From behind the tree, I saw that she had pushed him off of her angrily.

I saw Jake grab her waist and pull her against him, resting his forehead on hers.

I tensed, I wasn't used to this kind of _intimate _embrace with my sister and some other guy.

"Leah," he breathed, "I won't _ever _let anything happen to you. I swear on my life, I will keep you safe no matter what."

She nodded, and closed her eyes, "I believe you."

He smiled, "good. Now give me a kiss, I've been resisting the urge to kiss you all night."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Leah Clearwater never makes the first move."

"But it's always _ladies first_," Jake teased.

"If you insist," she shrugged playfully.

"Oh, _I definitely insist_," he mumbled, before her lips crashed onto his.

My jaw was on the ground. I was speechless. Jacob Black was kissing my sister. _EWWWWWWWW!_

No, I'm not angry. Grossed out, is more of the term I was looking for. EW! EW! EW!

They kept going, their lips moving in synchronization. There was so much...passion. They held onto each other so tightly, it was like they were afraid if they let go, one of them was gonna disappear.

After what felt like days, they finally parted, gasping for breath.

I can't believe I just watched my friend and sister makeout!

They looked at each other and grinned.

"C'mon babe, let's get you home," Jake said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders once again.

She entwined her fingers with his hand, and he placed a kiss on her forehead.

They made their way out of the forest with me trailing behind closely.

No matter how uncomfortable I was with Jacob and Leah, I can't hide the fact that I'm happy for them. And that's all I'll be from now on, no matter how awkward it gets. I told myself earlier today that I'm just gonna have to endure all awkwardness, and that's what I'll do. Why? Because they're happy. And really, who am I to choose who's right and wrong for them?As weird as it is to admit, they fit perfectly together Together they fit each other's puzzles. Together, they fill the holes in each other's hearts. Together, they can finally heal.

I'll ask Jake to spend the night. I'm sure Leah and Sam, and especially the elders wouldn't appreciate him walking alone in the woods after what we had just discussed.

I reached my house in a matter of minutes, Jake and Leah were already inside. I turned the knob and entered my house, quietly shutting the door behind me. All the lights were off, but I was still able to see clearly in the dark.

Jake and Leah were sitting on the couch, Leah cuddled under his embracing arms, both asleep. Like I said before, _perfection_.

"Jake," I whispered.

His eyes fluttered open, and he frowned. "Shit, did I fall asleep? Sorry, man."

His eyes landed on Leah's sleeping figure, and smiled.

"You can crash here, if you want," I offered.

"Really?" he asked, stroking Leah's hair with his free hand.

"Yeah, it's cool. You both look comfortable anyway," I teased.

His face lit up, "thanks Seth."

"Yep, no problem. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he said, finally looking up at me.

I grinned, making my way up the stairs to my room.

I entered my room and fell onto my bed. I didn't notice how exhausted I was until now.

I closed my eyes, wanting to fall asleep quickly.

The last thought that went through my mind before I drifted into a deep sleep was, _I hope they last without any interferences._

* * *

**Author's Note: **I am so SORRY it took FOREVER for me to update. This week has been really hectic, my birthday was on thursday, and my family from Nevada came down on Friday, so I had no time to work on this. But I made it up to you guys by making this chapter EXTRA long :) Please review, tell me what you think! I wanted this chapter to be mostly about Seth, and I also wanted Leah to spend some quality time with Seth. Ohh, and in one of my reviews, someone suggested that Seth should be watching the next time Jake and Leah kiss. I went with that suggestion, except I didn't want Seth to get mad. :) I hope you guys liked it, I spent a while on this chapter!


	7. Motivation

Chapter seven: Motivation

* * *

**Jayden POV**

"Leah, did Jayden mention his last name to you at all?" A sick Billy asked. Sweat was dripping from his aging forehead that was creased with worry.

I turned my head expectantly at Leah.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he said it was Crenshaw," she said, scratching the back of her neck nervously.

_She remembered my last name, _I thought to myself. I felt the corners of my mouth lift into a smile.

Carter looked over at me and rolled his eyes. I flipped him off in return.

It's a shame none of them can sense Carter and I watching them, eavesdropping on their meeting from behind these bushes. Carter is able to control the five senses, at first we both thought it was a lame, useless gift. But recently...it's been the most useful thing we've had. We've been following the La Push pack for quite some time now, since the new born war with Victoria. Neither of us wanted to take part in that fight so we ditched the redhead bitch. Seriously, how did Riley _ever _find her attractive? She was insane!

Carter's been blocking our scent from them the whole night. None of them can smell us, None of them can sense us. Yes, _very _useful indeed.

An ancient-looking man, who I knew to be Old Quil, with his long cascading white hair that reached his lower back, nodded with an agonized face, "Leah, do you know why this vampire is after you?"

Leah's eyebrows perked up in surprise.

"Yeah, to kill me, what else? He told me my blood smelled unappetizing, so I don't see why he would want me then. Except dead, of course."

I clenched my fists._ Kill_ her? What the hell is she thinking? Why the hell would I want her dead? I thought I had made it clear that I _wanted _her. How thick can she get?

The one in the wheelchair, Billy, shook his head and spoke in a tortured voice. "Leah, he wants you to be his mate."

Good. Glad _that's_ cleared. At least _someone_ understands where I'm coming from. I smiled at the old man, but of course he didn't see it. I turned towards the pack and nearly growled.

All jaws were on the ground, all eyes were as big as plates, fury was etched onto every single one of their tanned faces.

My jaw clenched as I saw Jacob wrapped his arm possessively around Leah and pulled her close. Carter scowled, mouthing a 'calm down' at me. Leah whispered something to Jacob far too low for us to hear, rubbing his arm up and down in a relaxing gesture.

I could see the side of Seth's face turn into a scowl at the sight of Jacob embracing his sister.

"But...why?" Quil broke the silence, confusion all over his face.

"Leah, do you remember the time your father and I took you and your brother to the Forks playground and those snobby kids were there?" Sue asked, trying to hold back her tears.

Oh yes. _I _remember. Best and worst day of my life. How do I know Sue? Well lets just say she and her husband had an interesting conversation with my parents that me and Carter had over heard.

I met Leah and little Seth that day. Like I said, best and worst day of my life. Why? You'll find out soon. _Very_ soon.

"Yeah," Leah said. Except it sounded more like a question.

_C'mon sweetheart, you have to remember!_

"Do you remember what happened at the park?" Sue asked, sounding desperate.

A slight crease formed in the middle of Leah's beautiful forehead, "yeah, me and Seth got into a fight with the other kids."

_Yes. Keep going honey, you're getting warmer._

"Come on mom, where are you going with this?" Seth hissed.

"Remember the three kids that _tried _sticking up for you?" Sue asked, shifting her whole body in the direction of her daughter.

Leah got quiet, thinking.

_Come on, Leah. Think!_

"No, why-" Seth started to say, but was cut off by Leah.

"YES!" Leah gasped. I grinned.

_Sweet, sweet, victory._

"Jayden, Carter, and some other girl. But why-?" she continued. I felt my grin getting wider. She remembers us. Even Demetria.

From the corner of my eye I saw Sam tense and Jacob pull Leah even closer.

"You pushed them away, not wanting their help, calling them vile names and telling Jayden, in particular, that you wouldn't ever give him a 'chance.'" Sue said, sadly.

_That was the worst part of my day. Getting rejected._

"So?" Leah hissed, "the bastard deserved it. He wouldn't leave me alone."

I ground my teeth together in fury. I didn't leave her alone because I liked her. Why couldn't she understand that? I stood up for her _and_ was the best looking kid on the playground. What more did she want?

"S'okay babe, calm down," Jacob whispered to her. She immediately relaxed and melted even more into his embrace.

My nostrils flared, jealousy and fury burning in my eyes. Carter elbowed me and pointed to my eyes.

'Glow?' I mouthed. He nodded slowly, irritated, and jerked his head very stiffly towards the bon fire.

"I spoke to his parents that day, sweetheart. His mother said he tends to get...obsessive, while his father said he doesn't take 'no' for an answer and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants..." Sue said, not meeting Leah's eyes.

The pack looked clueless. They had no idea where she was going with this. No idea where this was leading them. They all gave Sue a questioning look, urging her on.

Sue couldn't choke out her next words, leaving Billy having to speak.

"Sweetheart," Billy sighed, "he's been after you since the day you said _no._"

A mischievous smile spread along both mine and Carter's faces. So now they know.

Seth's jaw dropped. Leah's jaw dropped. Sam crushed a twig in his hand. Jacob pulled Leah even closer, hugging her even tighter. Jared was unconciously squeezing Leah's free hand. Embry clenched his fists. Quil was cursing profanities under his breath. And Paul was trembling violently.

"He died about 6 or 7 months ago," Old Quil said solemnly, breaking the silence.

"I think I know what vampire bit him," Sam said, tensely, his voice on edge.

"Who?" The Elders asked simultaneously.

"Victoria." Sam stated. "She was the reason for all the deaths a couple of months ago. That's why we allied with the Cullens, because she started the war and created an army of newborns."

_Good Sam, very good._

"What about the other one? Carter?" Seth asked.

Carter narrowed his eyes.

"He might've died the same way and during the same time as Jayden," Billy sighed.

"How come we didn't hear about their deaths?" Embry asked curiously.

"Because we live in La Push and all of you have no time to be informed of news from Forks. Always on patrol," Sue said sadly, her eyes casting downward.

Poor woman. It's too bad her daughter had to smart-mouth me and make me fall for her.

"So he wants me because of what went down at a playground when were just kids?" Leah asked. I could hear the slight annoyance in her voice.

"Yes," the elders answered.

"So now you're going to tell me to be careful and always be on the watch?" Leah pushed.

"Yes," they answered again, each of them nodding slowly, waiting for an outburst from her.

"Okay, I'll be careful from now on. Sam already assigned us partners, that way we won't be alone no matter what. So can I go home now? This is a lot to take in and I'm exhausted..." Leah said. She stood up with a hopeful look at the elders.

Jared released his tight grip on her hand, and cocked an eyebrow at an annoyed Jacob.

"Sure, sweetie, go ahead. Good night," Sue said. Billy and Old Quil nodded in agreement.

"Jake?" Leah asked, extending her hand towards his.

_That_ got me going. Did I miss something? I thought these two hated each other! Carter and I have been following them long enough to know those two can't stand each other! And now she's asking him to walk with her? To take her hand? What did I miss?!

Jacob took her hand eagerly and walked into the opposite side of the forest happily holding onto her.

_That lucky shit._

"Can I go too? I live with her, you know," Seth asked, desperate to be with his sister in case something went wrong. In case danger appeared. In case _we_ appeared.

"Go ahead, son."

Seth sprinted off into the forest after Jacob and Leah.

"Sue...how do we know all this information is accurate? What if it's not the same Jayden we're talking about?" Sam asked quietly.

All eyes flew to Sue's face. Silent tears made their way down her cheeks.

"I-I...I saw his parents again last week at the grocery store in Forks..."Sue said, her brows furrowing.

"And?" Jared asked, urging her on.

"They recognized me and greeted me with blank faces...they told me that Jayden had died 7 months ago...his father, Joseph, gave me a picture of him, a school picture of his last year of high school..."

Oh so my old man found the picture and actually gave it to the mom? Cool.

"Why?" Sam asked curiously.

"...because it was for Leah...on the backside of the picture it said 'to: Leah, from: Jayden.'"

"But, how-" Sam spoke, but was cut off by Sue.

"You're asking how Jayden would've ever given it to Leah?" Sue asked.

He nodded.

"Simple. He wasn't going to give it to her. Like I said, he was obsessed with her. When you're obsessed you tend to...have fantasies...you imagine things that aren't exactly real..."

Carter turned his head towards me and smirked. I flipped him off. Again.

"What are you talking about?" Quil asked, confused.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Embry asked, his eyebrows knitting tightly together in confusion.

"His mother told me that he use to go around telling people that he and Leah were dating-"

"WHAT?" Paul growled.

_Damn. Overprotective, much?_

"Paul," Sam said firmly, "relax."

Sam should follow his own advice. His flared nostrils, dark eyes, and trembling figure isn't doing his order much justice.

"You may proceed Sue," Billy urged.

"As I was saying, he went around telling people that he and Leah were dating. Of course no one in Forks had no idea who Leah was because she lives in La Push, but he stuck with it...through high school too...which explains why he would_ 'give'_ Leah a picture of himself...he actually believed they were dating...he was thoroughly convinced it wasn't all made up in his head."

Paul was trembling slightly. Sam managed to relax but still had an aggravated look on his face.

Carter still had an infuriating smirk plastered on his face and I was pissed. It's bad enough I still don't have the girl, but now the girl's mom is telling the girl's pack about my embarrassing fixation with her daughter. Spec-fucking-tacular!

"Freak," Jared sneered.

"Yeah, no kidding," Quil agreed.

"How do we know it's him though? That still doesn't tell us its the same Jayden," Embry said harshly.

Sue reached for her purse and took something out. Something that looked a lot like my picture. Because it is my picture.

"Does this look like the vampire you guys saw?" she asked stiffly, slowly turning the photo around.

One by one, each of the wolves snarled. Including their fearless leader.

"That's him," Sam hissed, baring his teeth.

Billy nodded, "then I trust you all will be careful and keep Leah out of trouble."

All heads from the pack nodded immediately. Carter grinned.

I grabbed hold of Carter's shirt and we disappeared out of the bushes and landed in a cave. We've been using this cave for 7 months, and it's done us good. The cave is hidden where no one can find it.

The cave is near the ocean, actually, the opening is the ocean. You actually have to swim to find the actual entrance. Once you're deep enough underwater, you'll see a pitch black gaping hole. You swim through that hole and swim upward. And then you're there. You climb the first step, there's no light, but there's air that allows you to breathe. Everything around you is stone. This is our hideout. This place is invisible to everyone, because no one is stupid enough to swim through a black hole. Except us.

So now we're sitting, leaning against the cave wall, thinking to ourselves. Carter runs his hand through his hair, thinking of a game plan. All of the wolves are keeping an extra watch after Leah, and themselves. All of them are ready, wary, and alert. Excellent.

That's 8 against 2. We can take them. We're not worried.

You know what's funny? Ever since the day we started following after these shape-shifters, their cockiness only grew larger. Always sure they'd be able to kill any vampire anywhere, anytime. Except for the Cullens, apparently they have a treaty with them.

Seth, the little brother Clearwater, has the best ears. Yes, we've studied each and every single one of them. We studied them individually, 2 weeks each. Seth Clearwater has the best ears, the kid can hear things from miles away. Except us. Carter's been able to mute our footsteps, breathing, and talking. Every movement we make will make no sound to the wolves, especially Seth.

Leah Clearwater, she's the fast one of the pack. Even faster than us. She moves like lightning, if you blink, you might miss her. She moves so rapidly, it's like her paws aren't even touching the ground. Like she's literally flying. Her footsteps are steady, never wavering, always in tune with her breathing and pack mind. She hates vampires and knows none of our kind can catch her if their 'lives' depended on it. But she's wrong. _We_ can blind her.

Jacob Black, the strong one. He may not be as big as Sam, but he's getting there. I know his history, it's him that's supposed to be the alpha, not Sam. But there he is, happily taking the role of beta, off somewhere probably with his arms around the woman I'm suppose to be calling, 'mine.' Jacob, like all of the others, take pleasure in ripping apart our kind, it's like a reward to them, getting to burn us. None of them fight like him though, Carter and I were watching the whole fight between the Cullens and wolves against the newborns, and I'll admit it, I was impressed by the physical capability that this one has. He took out 4 newborns, the biggest ones at that matter, all by himself. There wasn't even a scratch on him. The powerful blows from his massive paws sent one of them flying through the forest. He relies on his eyesight and hearing. But we can easily take those away.

Sam Uley, the leader, the alpha, the _swift_ one. Leah may be as fast as lightning, but Sam is sneaky, easily blending in with the shadows of the forest. It's painful to admit but, Carter and I have _almost _been caught numerous times by him. His footsteps are as light as a feather, so light you might not hear it if you breathe. I've learned his footwork, I've come accustomed to it. If I take my eyes off his footwork for one second, then I've lost him. He's that sneaky. That swift. He relies on his eyes and ears though, just like his beta. And that can be taken away in an instant.

Embry Call, the logical one. The thinker of the group. I followed him around, listening to him talk. I learned that he is either the half brother of Jacob, Quil, or Sam. He over-thinks things which always leads to the truth or the answer. His brain works differently than the rest of his pack. He see's things in a different perspective. Why? Because he knows what it's like to be mistaken. Hence, the 'accidental' child of the Makah whore and Quileute man. He's got the second best ears of the group, almost reaching out as far as Seth, but not quite. So yes, we'll obviously take his hearing away, his vision too.

Quil Ateara, the brawn's. Almost as big as Jacob. Has the best nose in the pack. He's able to sniff things out from miles away. Except us of course. Carter's been blocking our scent from him for a long time. He hasn't been able to smell a thing from us. Lucky us. We were in his room the other night, searching for some things that'll help us learn more about him, and found a picture of a little girl in a framed picture on his dresser. Claire. I know some guys might have a picture of their baby sister on their dresser, but not Quil. Quil doesn't have a sister, or any siblings at that matter. So we figured it was his imprint. Problem solved. Keep the kid hostage and take away his sense of smell. Too easy.

Jared Cameron, the smart one. The peace maker. Very reliable and loyal. Jared is a very good listener, he hangs onto every word people say. I once overheard an arguement between him and Paul once, and saw just how intense he makes his words when he gets angry, just how much a little word can mean something huge. He got Paul to leave his own house. He's a genius, I'll give him that. He knows how to get through to people, both physically and mentally. I've seen him get Leah to spit out how much she resented Emily, just by talking. He didn't have to shove her against a tree or anything. It's pure talent, and I admired it. Of course he didn't tell Sam or any of the others just how much Leah loathed Emily, because he's loyal. But that doesn't mean it didn't slip his mind. This one is able to torture others mentally, he can find the sensitive side of someone and torment them until it literally burns. But he's also the peacemaker, if he got someone angry, he'll apologize. Why? Because it's _the right thing to do._ Not if I have Kim. If I have his precious imprint, there's no way he'll want to apologize. I'll leave him without his girl or his eyesight!

Paul Lahote, is the impulsive one. But that's not a strength of his that can be reflected on. No matter how temperamental he can be, it all comes down to one thing; Pride. He's the pride of the group, the one that keeps everyone together. Even if he has a stupid ass way of showing it, you can see it. His smart ass remarks get him noticed because people actually listen to what he says. His anger gets everyone going because it's like a bomb that can go off any minute. Even if he is an asshole towards the rest of the group, there's also a sense of family. None of them can be kept together without someone calling you disgraceful names. Why? Because you can't run away from the truth. But the real reason is...because they're a family, and families don't hide things. Bickering is normal to them. They need him just as much as he needs them. Sam's the leader, but can't even get a smile out of Leah, whereas Paul is able to crack her up. Only occasionally though. Those two fight the most. But yes, he's the pride, the superglue. So how do we defeat this one? Easy. Take away his sense of smell, hearing, and vision.

So I guess you could say they all fit. Even if they're all too cocky and proud to admit that they all care about each other. They're the perfect pack. Each and every one of them is a puzzle piece to the picture. If one of them is missing, the picture is not complete. They are a _family. _They look out for each other. They love each other.

You know what I think of all of that? It's bullshit, and it disgusts me.

I don't give a rats ass if their picture isn't complete without Leah. I get what I want. And in this case, it's Leah that I want. It's Leah that I've always wanted. I'm not gonna have it any other fucking way. I didn't let 10 years of my life pass by for no reason. She_ is _going to be mine. A stupid little family preach about tearing up a pack isn't going to fuck up my plans. If those wolves think they can keep her away, they're shitting themselves. I just listed their names, their strengths, and the only possible way to get through them. I know their weaknesses. I told them I want a game, a _challenge._The little bon fire they just had seemed to motivate them even more to challenge me back. They've got 8 sets of eyes, ears, noses, jaws, and legs. We only have 2. It's going to be a challenge alright, and I'm still not gonna play fair. I'll play to their weaknesses, block their strengths. I will win. This challenge is much too easy.

So why play along instead of attacking now? Because I'm not the only one in love with Leah Clearwater. There's one specific other wolf, that I know is indeed, in love with her. I saw the way he looked at her tonight, saw how much passion he had in his eyes. I saw the way he looked at her in the clearing, the first time I met all of them in person. It wouldn't be much of a challenge if I just took her without fighting the other male that loved her, would it? No, it wouldn't. So that's why Carter and I will wait. Wait until the right moment happens, when all hell breaks loose within the pack, that's when we'll strike. For now, he can have her. But I will have her later on. I will fight him to the death and claim what is mine.

Just you wait, Jacob Black.

**Leah POV**

"Lee, you needa wake up," I heard someone whisper.

_Mmmm, Jacob._

I was very aware of his light hand tracing my collar bone, and making its way up to my jaw. He caressed my cheek, and traced my lips.

"No," I groaned. I shifted my position and felt two arms wrap my body possessively. I smiled.

"C'mon Lee, I'm starving. I needa get something to eat," he whined.

Aw, hell! His voice is even more whiny than _Seth's! _

My eyes fluttered open and I turned to face him. When he saw that I was awake he grinned.

"Morning babe," he said, grinning. "Let's go get some breakfast."

"Nah, I'll sleep. You can go eat if you want though," I said, grinning back.

He frowned, "I don't wanna eat without you though."

I used my thumb and index fingers to re-shape his lips into a smile.

"Why not? Seth's here," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Seth's not my girlfriend though." As soon as he said it, he froze.

I looked at him straight in the eyes and spoke in what I hope was a firm tone, "girlfriend?"

"Sorry Lee, I was just thinking about it...I didn't mean to say that...You don't have to be my girlfriend if you don't want to..."

He wasn't looking at me, he was trying very hard to keep his eyes on the remote control on the ground. He was too cute.

"Jake are you asking me out?" I teased, pulling myself on his lap.

"No-well, yeah." He sighed. "Damn you Leah, you really have no idea what your doing to me. Will you be my girlfriend?"

I wanted to laugh, not at him, but at how incredibly adorable he sounded right now.

"I don't know..." I said, trying to sound unsure. I failed miserably, I ended up grinning at him.

"Leah..." he breathed into my ear. "I'm gonna ask you again. Will you be my girlfriend?"

His husky voice was sending shivers down my spine. Of course I wanted to be his girlfriend. I didn't kiss him the last two nights for no reason!

"Yes," I breathed, a little dazed.

How on earth did I let Jacob Black have this kind of control over me? Not that it doesn't turn me on...

"Good," he said, before planting a kiss on my forehead. "Now can we get breakfast?"

"Seriously Jake, I don't understand why you won't just eat with Seth. He's not going to eat you, you know..."

He laughed. "I know, but I wanna be with you. Now get up before I drag your lazy ass to the kitchen."

I closed my eyes snorted, "like you would."

I heard a low chuckle and then I was in the air. I am an idiot. I forgot that I was on his lap. I'm getting used to this boy way too fast and it's a little frightening.

"Asshole," I muttered, still in his arms.

"Lazy ass," he muttered back, grinning.

Once in the kitchen, he set me down and made his way to the fridge. Seth was at the stove, making pancakes.

"Want some?" he asked us, cheerfully.

"Sure," I smiled.

"Yeah," Jake said, pouring me a glass of orange juice.

"So Seth, guess what?" Jake asked, grinning.

Great Jake. Break it to the kid during breakfast. Real smart.

Seth turned around, and looked at Jacob curiously. "What?"

Jacob got quiet, wanting our news to come out sounding all dramatic. I rolled my eyes. As soon as he opened his mouth, I blurted it out, just to piss him off.

"-me and Jake are dating!"

I smirked at him as he scowled at me.

"That was suppose to be my line," he said in a monotone voice.

"I know," I said cheerfully.

He rolled his eyes and waited for Seth's reaction.

Seth burst out laughing, "nice Leah, real nice. But congratulations, I'm happy for you."

I knew this was hard for the kid, having his sister and his man-crush dating. But I knew he was honestly happy for us, and that meant a lot to me.

"Aw, thanks Seth," I said.

"Yeah, thanks man," Jacob said, draping his arm around my shoulder.

"Yep," Seth nodded, "but, _please, _no PDA." The kid looked like he was reliving some kind of traumatic memory.

I nodded my head, and Jake saluted him.

We took our seats on the stools, while Seth laid out a humongous stack of pancakes in front of us.

"Alright, grubbin' time!" Seth cheered.

God, I love my brother!

I had 7 steady pancakes on my plate, and Seth and Jacob were trying to balance 10 on theirs. I rolled my eyes.

"Hey uh, I'm going over to Sam's, he said he wanted to go over a few things with me..." Seth said.

What the hell does Sam want to talk about with my little brother in the morning?

"What, now?" I asked, skeptically.

"Well...yeah, I'm sorta done with my pancakes..."

Me and Jake looked over at his plate and gaped at him. It was empty, clear of all 10 pancakes. How the hell did he finish that so fast?

"What are you tryna do kid, run a marathon? How the hell did you finish that so fast?" Jake asked. He took the words right out of my mouth.

"I was hungry..." Seth replied, sheepishly. "Anyway, I gotta go. I'll call you guys later."

"See you," I said, as he went out the door.

"Finally," Jake said, "I've been wanting to kiss you, but I couldn't with the little punk sitting there."

"Happy punk," I corrected.

"Mhmm," he mumbled before his lips crashed onto mine. Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. Kissing Jake beats food any day.

He slid his tongue into my mouth and I was home.

_This_ is why I'm going to start taking better care of myself_. This _is why I won't make it easy for Jayden to capture me_. This_ is why I'm slowly learning to be happy again.

Jacob Black is slowly becoming the source of my happiness, my savior, my protector, and my _motivation._

"You're one of a kind Clearwater, I don't know how I spent the last year panting after Bella when you were right there," Jacob said, gazing into my eyes once he broke the kiss.

"That makes two of us _Black_, I spent the last year panting after _Sam _when _you _were right there," I laughed. He smiled, making my heart melt.

_God, I need to ease up with the lame phrases. 'Making my heart melt?' Gag._

"Well fuck the rest, I'm rollin' with the best," he winked, before pressing his lips to mine again.

And alas, I'm at home, once again.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So I hope you all liked Jayden's POV. I just wanted to get his side of the story out. Please review, and tell me what you thought of Jake and Leah :) So I was wondering...Should I have Jake imprint on Nessie and make this story even more chaotic, or should I make it so Jake and Leah imprint on each other and bring the legends into the story? Sorry, I just want this story to have a good ending, and I'm not sure I want Jake to imprint on the mutant spawn, I hate her. :)


	8. 3 Paragraphs

**Chapter eight: 3 Paragraphs**

* * *

**Leah's POV**

"Lee..." he breathed. "We need to go...Sam needs to talk to you."

Stupid Jacob! Why does he have to say my name like that? Just the sound of it brings shivers up my spine. Not that I don't like it, it's just...he says my name like it's a miracle or something. And really, I'm far from a miracle, I'm quite the opposite actually. I'm destruction.

And why does he have to ruin the moment and bring up Sam of all people? We were doing just fine without any interruptions. We were on my couch. . . _kissing_. God, if someone came up to me and told me Jacob Black and I would be sitting on my couch making out, I would've pushed them off a cliff, but not before socking them straight in the nose.

But, here we are. Sitting on _my _couch, in _my _house, all alone, _cuddling. _CUDDLING! Since when does Leah Clearwater _cuddle? _I'll tell you when she started cuddling. She started cuddling the morning she felt how fucking fantastic and so perfect it felt to have her body pressed against Jacob Black's toned chest, to have his muscular arms wrapped around her delicately. How they molded together so perfectly. _That's_ when.

So why am I cuddling with Jacob Black of all people? Well I'm his girlfriend, for one. We just established that this morning. But really, even if he didn't ask me out, I would've cuddled with him, it just feels _right. _The real reason: It's the first time in a long while that I've actually felt. . . _wanted._

"Oh he does? Tell him I don't give a damn," I laughed, tracing circles lazily on his bare torso. Which, I might add, is a work of perfection. So ripped and so sexy. I can just picture myself running my hands down-

_Hold it! What the fuck are you thinking?! You've been dating for what, 10 minutes and your already thinking about seducing the kid?_

"Come on Leah, do you want double patrol shifts?" he asked, stroking my hair.

"Fucking asshole," I said, getting to my feet.

The bastard knew just what to say to get me to change my mind. He knows I'd rather walk across molten lava barefoot than do double shifts. Seriously though, anything beats double patrol shifts. Especially if they're with Paul. But. . . since Jake's my partner, maybe they'll change?. . . Nah, it's not gonna happen. What the fuck am I thinking? Since when do I get what I want? I'm _Leah Clearwater_, fate hates me. I don't get what I want. I get the opposite.

_You got Jacob._

Shut up. No one asked you.

_I'm your conscience, I don't need permission._

I hate you.

"You're too cute, Clearwater," Jacob grinned, pinching my ass in the process.

Oh, _hell_ no.

"Don't start, Black," I warned, my eyes showing no enthusiasm at all. We're going to Sam's house after all, why should I feel compelled to be happy?

"Or what?" he pushed, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I turned around and flicked his nose, leaving him dumbfounded. I grinned and booked it, not caring whether or not I had shoes on. Which I didn't.

_Flicking his nose? Really, Leah? You couldn't come up with something else?_

I laughed, because that's all I could do at the moment. I always thought Seth was sort of an idiot, and here I was, laughing at myself for flicking Jacob Black's nose. Hey, I couldn't think of anything quick enough. Besides, his face was priceless.

I reached Sam's house in less than 3 minutes, he lived down the block, not at all far from where my place was.

Whoopee.

I heard distant footsteps nearing. I turned and saw Jacob's huge figure jogging up to me with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Why are you smirking?" I asked, narrowing my eyes curiously at him.

"I always knew you hit hard, but flicking my nose?" He was still smirking.

"I didn't want to dislocate your jaw permanently," I shrugged, trying to act cool. Wait, I don't have to "act" cool. I am the _definition_ of cool.

He laughed, "whatever you say, Leah. My nose hurts though, you flick pretty hard."

I rolled my eyes, "shut up, Jacob."

He laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"SAM!" he bellowed, letting him know we've arrived.

A very agitated Sam opened the door and nearly screamed at us, "JACOB! I HAVE A DOOR THAT YOU COULD HAVE EASILY KNOCKED-Leah?"

His face then turned soft, and he smiled at me.

Ew. Why the hell does he insist on acting like he's happy to see me? He has my fucked up cousin for that.

He continued to smile at me like a moron. Then his eyes traveled to where Jacob's arm was wrapped around, and started to shake.

Did I miss something? Why the fuck is he about to phase?

I looked up at Jacob questioningly and was surprised to see him glaring at Sam.

"Jake! What the fuck is up with you?!" I snapped.

He didn't answer, he kept his eyes locked on Sam. His eyes were piercing through Sam like bullets. It was actually kind of. . . scary. And that pissed me off. I do _not_ get scared.

_Except when it comes to people breaking your heart._

I shoved his arm off of me and stormed into Sam's house, flipping them both off in the process.

Seth and Paul were on the couch playing some sort of video game. Grand theft auto or something along those lines.

"Can one of you explain to me what the hell is wrong with Sam?" I asked, irritated.

Both their heads snapped to me.

"What? Why, what's wrong with Sam?" Seth asked, worriedly.

"He and Jake are outside having a glaring contest, and Sam's about to phase," I said, taking a seat next to Seth.

"...the fuck?" Paul mumbled confused, and stood up to see what was going on. Me and Seth followed.

We looked out the window and saw the both of them on the verge of phasing. Seth's and Paul's eyes widened.

"Told you," I snapped. "What the fuck is their problem?!"

"Don't be stupid, Leah," Seth said quietly, his eyes never leaving the two shaking males outside.

"What?" I snapped back.

He gave me a knowing look, like the answer was obvious.

"Spit it out kid, no one knows what the hell you're talking about," Paul said, looking annoyed.

"_You _don't know what I'm talking about Paul, but _she _does," Seth snapped back.

"Then fucking tell her already!" he fumed.

"Paul, sit down and go play your little video game," I said angrily, my eyes locked on Seth's.

"I _would _tell you Paul, but it's not my _secret_ to share," Seth said, emphasizing the 'secret' part.

"You're little bitches. Both of you," Paul sneered, going back to his controller.

It took me a couple of seconds to get what Seth had just said through my head. Secret? What secret?

Realization finally dawned on me. I faced Seth, who had an exasperated face, and marched outside.

This was over me and Jake? Seriously? We're over. We have been for a year.

"SAM!" I screamed angrily. "STOP SHAKING AND CALM YOUR ASS DOWN!"

Sam snapped his head to me and lowered it in what I thought was. . . guilt? Maybe. Whatever. I don't give a damn.

He walked back into the house with a pained but angry face.

"AND YOU!" I turned to face Jacob. "JUST WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! GET YOUR ASS IN THE HOUSE!"

He looked surprised at my anger but didn't complain. He marched into the house with a confused expression.

Is he confused about my anger? I hope he's not seriously confused about that. Does he think that just because we're dating I'm not gonna get pissed off at him? I am a time bomb and I will blow up whenever I damn please.

I stormed in after him and sat between Seth and Paul, who were trying not to pay attention to the commotion. Sam and Jacob chose to sit as far away from each other as possible. Real mature.

"Since everyone's in a wonderful mood, tell me why the hell you brought us here, Sam," I said in an innocent sarcastic voice.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Paul's face lift into a smirk.

"First of all, you're suppose to be here anyway," Sam said irritably, reminding me of my mother's wishes of me spending quality time with Sam and Emily everyday before the wedding.

"I am well aware of that! Just get to the damn point!" I hissed.

I saw Seth tentatively glance at Sam, and quickly look back at the television screen. Paul was full on grinning.

"After the three of you left, your mom brought something up. . ." Sam began.

Seth set the controller down and put all of his attention on Sam. I guess Sam hasn't told him this information yet either.

"What'd she say?" Seth asked curiously.

"Your mom saw the leeches parents last week in Forks. . . His dad gave your mom a picture of Jayden."

"What the hell - why?" I asked, annoyed that my mom actually took the damn thing.

". . . because it was for you," Sam said, watching my reaction.

"Why the fuck would I want a picture of him?" I hissed.

Sam looked down, his eyebrows pulling together.

Paul elbowed my side to get my attention. I snapped my head at him in annoyance, "what?"

"I'm continuing for Sam, chill out. The leech used to go around telling people that you guys were dating," Paul said, his hold on the game controller tightening.

"What?" Jacob asked flatly.

"You heard me. He did all through high school too. He's obsessed with you Leah, he actually believed that he was dating you - that's why he "gave you" the picture," he said, trying to control his arms from shaking.

I stared at Paul, infuriated by what he had just told me.

This is just a little too creepy for my liking.

"Stop fucking around with me," I hissed.

"I'm not. It's all true, your mom told us all about it last night," he snapped, his jaw clenching.

And just like that, I believed him. I know, _I know_, Leah Clearwater trusts Paul Lahote? It's hard to believe, but for some reason...I knew he was telling the truth. Something about the way Paul was trying so hard to control himself told me that he wasn't lying. And for some odd reason him along with the rest of the pack feel this ridiculous need to be "protective" of me, so the thought of a boy - a leech - trying to pry his way into my pants is infuriating to them.

"Sam is this true?" Seth asked.

Sam lifted his head from the ground and stared at me sadly, "yes."

"Do you have the picture?" Jacob asked in what sounded like calm tone, but I knew better.

Sam nodded and handed Seth the picture.

Seth took one look at and growled, "that's him."

He handed the picture to me and I gazed at it scathingly. Why wouldn't this bloodsucker leave me alone? Some people just can't understand the concept of rejection. I have, why couldn't he? I mean really, the leech is stalking me, and it's really creeping me out.

"I hate him," I said venomously.

Paul chuckled dryly and looked at me with an aggravated face, "just wait 'till you see the back."

I cocked an eyebrow at him, and flipped the picture over. My eyes bulged out of it's eye sockets.

_Leah, _

_Just a little something to always remember me._

_- Jayden_

"Oh, come on!" I snarled. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"What? Let me see it!" Jacob said, angrily. And there goes his composure.

I walked over to him and shoved it in his hands. I stomped back to my seat between Seth and Paul seething with fury.

I saw Jacob shaking, and my anger instantly vanished with worry.

"Jake?" I called softly.

Paul looked at me and cocked a confused eyebrow at me.

Jacob looked up from the picture and locked eyes with me, "I won't let him hurt you."

Great. Thanks for saying that out loud. So much for 'Leah Clearwater the invincible'.

"None of us will," Paul agreed, nodding stiffly.

"Is that all?" Seth asked.

"Yes," Sam sighed. "I want everyone to stay with their assigned partners at all times."

"Whatever. Can I go now?" I growled.

"Yes. You may go with Seth and Paul," Sam said.

"Why?" Jake and I growled in unison.

"Because I need to speak with you _Jacob,_" Sam spat. "Leah, you will be patrolling with Seth and Paul."

"Paul and I don't start patrolling until 3!" I yelled, pointing to the clock that read 11 o' clock.

"I didn't tell you to patrol yet Leah. I just need you three to go out for now, I have to speak to Jacob." He was trying his hardest not to blow his top with me. Stupid kiss-ass alpha.

"Fucking ass," I muttered, walking out the door.

"Now what?" Seth asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Let's go to the beach," Paul said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"What do you have against wearing a shirt?" I asked Paul in a mocking tone, just noticing that he didn't have a shirt on.

"Forreal though, people are gonna think you're crazy walking around without a shirt on in this kind of weather," Seth smirked. "Are you trying to show off your manly body or something?"

"Fuck off, Clearwaters," Paul hissed.

He eyed our outfits but said nothing, seeing as he couldn't say anything. We were dressed weather-appropriate. Well, I didn't have shoes on, but that's doesn't matter. We're going to the beach anyways.

Seth had light jeans on -actual pants too, not cutoffs- and a navy blue La Push high school hoodie. I had on dark jeans and wore my black northface. So we pretty much looked normal compared to Paul. All he had on was a pair of basketball shorts that hung dangerously low on his hips (all the boys wore their shorts and cutoffs like that anyway, including Seth). I bet he was going commando too, it's what all of the guys did nowadays, including me. It makes phasing so much easier.

We avoided going through the forest and stuck to the road the whole way there. We passed by lots of onlookers, typically girls who were fawning over Paul's body. I rolled my eyes when I saw him grinning like the cocky bastard that he was.

When we reached the beach, we saw a group of high school students hanging around a fire. Seth kept glancing over to them with a sad look on his face. They must have been friends of his.

Paul saw the look on Seth's face and glanced at the high school students.

"Friends of yours?" Paul asked him.

Seth nodded silently, tearing his eyes away from them.

"You should go talk to them," I suggested.

I hated the fact that my baby brother had lost all his friends because of fate. It was so unfair. And it's not like he can't control if he phases in front of them or not, he knows better and I trust him.

"Yeah kid, go talk to them," Paul agreed, nodding at him in encouragement.

I was a little surprised, to say the least, that Paul was being nice. I mean, _Paul Lahote _being nice and offering encouragement? Not normal. Then again, Leah Clearwater being nice isn't such a normal factor either. _Leah and Jacob_ wasn't normal.

Seth's face lightened up and he grinned, "really?"

"Yeah, just don't show off and phase in front of them," I said, sarcastically.

"We'll be watching you, if I see you tremble just a little bit, I'm taking your ass out," Paul said, getting back into his usual personality.

Seth nodded and sprinted towards the high school students. Paul and I walked around the beach in silence.

"I feel bad for the kid," Paul suddenly said.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"Seth. It sucks that he lost all of his friends, I mean he's only 15."

I gaped at him, probably looking like a blow fish.

"Do you have a fever or something? Why are you being nice?" I asked.

"Fuck you, Leah, I was being serious," he snapped.

I laughed, "T_here's _the temperamental Paul I've come to be so accustomed to."

He glared at me, narrowing his eyes.

"Relax Paul," I laughed. "I was joking. And yeah. . . I feel bad for him too, it does suck."

I laid down on the sand and soaked up what little sun there was shining through the clouds.

"Do you still have Jared's shirt?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just checking," he muttered.

"What are you hiding?" I asked, narrowing my eyes and propping myself up on my elbow.

"Nothing, its just, that was actually _Kim's _favorite shirt on Jared."

"So?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"He was gonna wear that shirt that night and head over to her house after the bon fire," he explained.

I burst into laughter and nearly busted one of my lungs when Paul joined in on my laughter.

"So...he's mad?" I asked.

He nodded, grinning.

". . . because he was gonna use the shirt to hopefully get _lucky _with Kim?"

He nodded again, his grin turning into a smirk.

"The desperate bastard!" I laughed. "Doesn't he get that a shirt won't get him laid?"

Paul let out a booming laugh and fell back on the sand, looking up towards the sky.

"He thinks it'll get him laid because Kim once told him that he looked 'sexy' in that shirt," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes and grinned, "I'll give him the shirt the next time I see his stupid ass."

"Good. That'll get him off my ass."

"Wait, he blames you?" I asked, amused.

He opened one eye to look at me and nodded.

"Good. Tt's your fault anyway," I said, satisfied.

I laid back down on the sand and closed my eyes.

"Why is it my fault?" he asked in an annoyed voice.

"You're the one who phased and shredded all of your clothes."

"You guys provoked me!"

I shrugged, "I really don't give a damn. It's not my problem if he thinks a shirt will get him some."

He chuckled, and then it got silent.

"Hey Leah?"

"What?" I asked annoyed that he ruined my moment of peace.

"You've changed. . ." he said.

I opened my eyes and found him propped up on his elbow, looking down at me.

"Just what the fuck are you talking about?" I snapped.

"Calm your titties, Clearwater. It's a good thing. You're not as bitter as you used to be," he said defensively.

"Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically.

I know what he meant though, and I know he was being sincere - for Paul. I just really didn't want to fully accept that I was changing because of a guy. I don't want to let down my walls of stone just yet. I still need to protect myself. I didn't want to let go of my smart-ass attitude, all I want to let go of is my pain and my past. And Jacob's doing a hell of a job doing it. But...it's just weird hearing it from someone other than Seth or Jacob.

"You're being semi-nice, we've never had an actual conversation before until now," he said.

He had a point. Paul and I are the ones that argue the most in the pack, you can count on us to always put on a good vulgar show of insults and threats. Never before have we ever been able to have a civil conversation with one another. . . until now.

Damn you Jacob Black, and curse you for turning me into a softy!

"I sorta used to be nice, you know," I said.

He laughed, "I know."

"So I'm a _little _nice now. Doesn't mean I'm gonna stop being a bitch," I stated, smirking.

"Good," he chuckled.

"Wait, hold up. . . you _want_ me to be a bitch?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Well not all the time, you're bitchy tantrums give all of us bad migraines," he laughed. "I like your bitchiness though, I think it's hot."

I stared at him, not sure what to say. So I punched his chest. HARD.

"Pervert," I smirked. "You're so weird."

"You know, if you were a guy I'd kill you right now," he said rubbing his chest. "I don't take back what I said though."

"Ass," I said.

"_Hot_ bitch," he grinned.

I punched him again in the same place harder.

"OW! What the fuck, Leah!"

"Do you like pissing me off?!" I snarled.

"Well - yeah. We all do," he said rubbing his chest.

"I hate you," I said.

"Love you too, LC."

I rolled my eyes, fuming.

_LC. _It's the nickname he gave me when I first phased because apparently a four-letter name like 'Leah' shouldn't be two syllables considering his four-letter name was only one. Adding onto that, my last name was three syllables. He figured calling me 'LC' would be less of a mouthful. Yes, Paul invented lazy.

"Hey guys!" we looked back and saw Seth walking over to us with three people that I've never seen before. Two guys, and one girl.

We stood up and brushed the sand off of us.

"Hey, guys this is my sister Leah and my friend Paul. Guys this is Mike, Tyler, and Jessica," Seth said, introducing us.

"Hi," Paul and I both said in monotonous tones. I wanted to laugh but I didn't want to embarrass Seth in front of his little friends from Forks.

"_You're _Leah? Leah Clearwater?" the one named Mike, asked.

"That's me," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic for Seth's sake.

"Wow," Tyler said. "He wasn't lying then."

They both looked me up and down appreciatively. I scowled at them, pissed off that they were checking me out in front of my brother. Seth caught their looks and didn't look happy at all. They're friends of his for Christ's sake! Show some respect.

Paul saw their beady eyes roaming my body and growled. The two of them whipped their heads in Paul's direction, eyes widening at the size of him. I mean come on, it's not every day you see a topless, 6'4", very muscular Indian roaming around on the beach.

The girl on the other hand, Jessica, was practically drooling. _Her _eyes were following Paul's happy trail, and gaping at how low his shorts hung. I would bet 10 bucks that the girl wet herself on the spot when she heard him growl too. She reminded me too much of the girl down in Forks, Lauren, or whatever her name was.

Paul wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me tightly against him, daring the two boys to look at me the wrong way again. It's silent gestures like these that the pack makes that tell people to 'back off.' It's no _wonder_ I can _never_ get a date with _anyone_! If we were somewhere else and we didn't have 3 teenagers gaping at us like we were cupcakes, I would've punched Paul straight in the nose. But since teenagers are hard to convince, I let him.

"So how do you know who I am?" I asked.

"This guy named Jayden Crenshaw used to talk about you _all _the time," Jessica said, her gaze never left Paul's torso. See how I said teenagers are hard to convince?

Paul and I froze at the name. Jayden Crenshaw? She knows him?

"You know him?" I asked warily.

I looked to Seth and he nodded at me. OH SHIT!

"Yeah, he went to our school before he. . . died," she said, looking up at Paul's face.

I felt Paul getting uncomfortable under her intense gaze. I wanted to laugh at his expression but decided to play along and 'save him.'

I laced my fingers with his and leaned against his chest. _That _seemed to get her attention. She looked from me to Paul, to our entwined hands, and how I was leaning into his chest. She got the message and gazed down at her shoes. I saw Seth rolling his eyes from the corner of my eye.

I looked up and saw Paul smirking at me. I rolled my eyes and put my attention on the Forks kids.

"What exactly did he used to say about me? And do you know how he died?" I asked.

Jessica didn't answer this time. It was Mike.

"He told us that you guys were going out, and that some guy named Sam or whatever was always interfering with your relationship. . . Oh, and he died in Seattle like 7 months ago. Someone found his body in an alley screaming in pain and called 911, but once the ambulance got there, he was gone."

"He told you that Sam was trying to interfere with our relationship?" I asked, bewildered.

The three of them nodded.

"Huh." I really didn't know what else to say. The guy was a psycho!

"Do you know _who _found his body?" Seth asked.

"No one knows who called, they say it was a private number. But the people around said they saw a really pretty woman with flaming red hair walk down the alley the same night," Tyler said.

"Victoria," Paul said under his breath.

"Well, it was nice talking to you guys, but we have to be somewhere," Seth said, cutting the tension.

"O-Oh, okay. Bye," Jessica said, more to Seth and Paul than me.

"Yeah, bye," Mike said, trying to be slick and winking at me.

Paul obviously saw because there was a deep rumble in his chest, and the three of them scattered.

Once they were gone, I released myself from Paul's embrace and scowled at him.

"We're supposed to protect humans, not terrify them! Do you enjoy scaring people off?" I hissed.

_You are such a hypocrit Leah, you LOVE scaring people._

He shrugged, "pretty much."

"We need to tell Sam the teenagers in Forks knew him," Seth said. "Maybe we can gather more info on him from some other kids from Forks."

"Hey do you think Bella knew who he was?" I asked curiously.

She's the only one that we can actually ask questions without her getting suspicious. Besides, she owes us all big time, we helped save her ass from the redhead leech-bitch.

"OH! Yeah, we should ask her! We'll talk to Sam," Seth said, looking annoyed that he didn't think about it earlier.

"Too bad she's on her honey moon with Cullen," Paul snorted.

Damn. He's right. She went and got married with Romeo-leech. Now she's on her honey moon doing God knows what. Shit.

"C'mon we should phase. It's almost three," Seth said, already stripping off his shirt.

We walked into the forest, and I went behind a bush. I stripped off all my clothing and tied them around my ankle with the rope that I always wore around my right ankle (all of us wear a rope around our ankles now).

I felt the heat rush up my spine, throughout my body, and out my fingertips. I felt my body elongating and my body shake, and then I was on all fours.

_So when do we get off patrol?_ I thought.

I came out of the bushes and saw a dark grey wolf and sandy-colored wolf waiting for me.

_Tired already, Clearwater? You can come rest on my chest again, _Paul laughed.

We stayed in a group, Sam didn't want any of us alone out there.

_Fuck off, Lahote. _

_Can you two not fight for once? _Seth asked, annoyed that he was in the middle of a mental argument.

_Can it, kid,_ Paul snapped.

_Hey Paul? _I asked.

_Hmmm? _

_Go fuck yourself, _I snapped.

_It's not Wednesday yet,_ he thought.

_What the fuck, man? No one wants to know about your rendevouz with your jar of petrolleum jelly! _Seth thought angrily.

_If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were just as desperate as Jared,_ I thought, knowing it would piss him off.

_You're the biggest bitch I know, Leah,_ Paul growled

_I thought you liked bitches, Pauly-boo,_ I taunted.

He jumped in front of me and bared his teeth at me.

_Oooh, I'm so scared of the big bad wolf. What are you gonna do Paul, bite me? _

_I'll do more than bite you, Clearwater!_

_Ohhh, kinky!_

_You guys are impossible!_ Seth thought.

Seth nudged my side and we proceeded with our walking. He stepped between Paul and I, making sure we didn't rip each others faces off.

_Shut it Seth! Your just mad because your man-crush isn't here,_ Paul thought, picturing Jacob's face.

And then before I could stop myself, all events between me and Jake were put up for display.

_Whoa! You and Jake?_ Paul asked, amused. He was laughing wildly.

_Gross,_ Seth whispered.

_Well, it's not like we could've kept it hidden from everyone forever, _I sighed, annoyed that I let it slip so damn easily.

_You and Jake? Shit. I was waaaay nicer to you than Jake was when you first phased and you didn't even _think _about giving _me_ a chance! _Paul joked, but there was an underlying tone of envy that didn't go unnoticed by me but was quickly covered up the moment it slipped.

_You're such an asshole, Paul, you really are,_ Seth thought.

_That's because you had the worst mind out of all of them, you ALWAYS had the dirtiest fantasies about me,_ I barked out a laugh.

Seth cringed as he thought about all of the time he caught someone thinking about me naked.

_Well what can we say Seth? Your sisters -_

_Finish that sentence Paul, and I will personally tear you limb from limb,_ Seth warned, anger seeping into every word he said.

I rolled my eyes. Only Seth would get this over-protective of me.

_- pretty hot and has the best body around,_ Paul said, finishing his sentence. He looked Seth in the eye, winked, and ran off.

Seth let out an infuriated roar, and chased after him.

_Seth, come back!_ I called.

_Not after I tear this motherfucker to pieces, _he snapped.

I heard Paul laughing in my head at Seth's threats.

_Whatever, _I thought, annoyed.

_Hey Seth! Hurry up and catch me already, I'm getting bored!_ Paul taunted.

_Your sorry ass better hope I don't catch up to you, Paul! _Seth snarled.

I ignored the bickering wolves and followed Seth's and Paul's scents. I didn't run, I wasn't gonna waste my time and run after them. I took my time and walked through the forest, still following their scents.

I spaced-out while I was walking, I wasn't aware that Paul was screaming in my head trying to get my attention.

_LEAH! - _Paul screamed in my head

_WHAT DO YOU WANT?! - _I screamed back in frustration

_Isn't this yours? _- Paul asked, he tilted his head down and saw a heart-shaped locket.

_Yeah, but how'd-where are you guys?_ - Realization finally hit me. While I was spaced-out, I no longer followed their scents.

_Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! _Paul chanted, frantically. _Leah, where are you?_

_I'm - wait, where's Seth? _I asked, starting to panic.

_What the hell! Seth! Where the hell are you, kid?_ Paul looked around frantically but there was no sign of him.

_Paul, where are you?_ I asked scared out of my mind. If those leeches Jayden and Carter came and found me alone, they would without a doubt use their freaky powers and take me with them.

_You know those huge bushes behind where we have our bon fires?_ Paul asked.

_Yeah._

_Okay, I'm right behind those bushes. Hurry up, Lee! _

I ran faster than I thought possible, flying past the ghostly trees, everything around was a blur. I looked around frantically as I ran and distinctly saw a pair of glowing blue circles.

_LEAH! RUN FASTER! IT'S HIM! _Paul screamed, his panic doubling over my own.

_I'm trying! _I thought back. _I'm almost there. 10 seconds!_

_10. _He started to actually count down.

_9. _

_8._

_ 7._

_ 6._

_ 5._

_ 4._

_ 3._

_ 2._

_ 1._

_ LEAH WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!_

_Right here. _I slid across the damp soil and collided with Paul's large body.

_Holy shit! That hurt like a biiiitch!_

_Shit, are you okay? _- he asked, nudging my snout with his nose

_Forget about me, I'll be fine. Is he gone? Do you see him anywhere? _ I asked, trying to stand up.

I winced as I tried straighten out my left leg.

_No, I think he's gone. _

_Paul. . . where's my brother? _I whimpered, I was terrified for my brother. What if the leech got him? I would never forgive myself if those filthy parasite hurt him.

I tried to stand again, but I couldn't. Every time I did, I winced at the pain. I must've sprained my ankle or something because my leg isn't healing correctly.

_I don't know, he was looking at the locket through my head and then I didn't hear him anymore._

I whined at what he just said and looked down at my left leg.

_Is it broken?_ he asked.

_Maybe. I have no idea. It just hurts. It won't heal properly._

_You want me to carry you?_ he offered, nudging my left paw.

_No, you don't have to. I can limp._

_Leah, limping is gonna make it worse. I'm going to carry you back._

_No. _I growled.

_God, you're annoying. Will you just phase back so I can carry you and set out a search for your Seth?_

That got me. If him carrying me would help find my brother faster, then so be it. Anything for the safety of Seth.

Thank God the rope I had tied around my ankle was on the right side, otherwise I would've been howling in pain.

_Fine. Let me phase back. Go hide somewhere and let me change._

He nodded and went behind one of the trees.

I let the heat go up my spine once again, and felt my body shrinking into it's normal size. And alas, I was human once again.

I sat on the soil completely naked, and untied the rope from my right ankle. I got on my knees and held onto a nearby tree stump for support. I slid on my jeans, successfully pushing my left leg through pain-free. Then I threw my T-shirt on and slung my northface behind my shoulder.

"Paul?" I called out.

Paul came out in his basketball shorts and easily lifted me into his arms.

"I can't believe you broke your leg by slamming into me," he said, smirking.

"That sounds so wrong on so many levels," I muttered. He barked out a laugh.

We heard footsteps nearing and we both tensed.

"Paul, whatever happens, DO _NOT_ DROP ME."

He rolled his eyes and snorted, "relax Leah, I'm not gonna drop you."

The footsteps were getting closer, and the bushes in front of us were rustling with movement.

The both of us tensed, getting ready to fight. We were both expecting Jayden and his boyfriend to pop out of the bushes and go 'surprise!'

Seth walk out of the bushes looking terrified. His eyes were wide with fear and his face was pale. His eyes were locked on the piece of paper in his hands.

"Seth?" I squeaked.

"Where the hell were you, kid? We thought the parasites took you!" Paul growled.

He looked up from the piece of paper to face us, fear radiating off his body.

"Guys. . . they've been stalking us for months. . ." he said.

"What? Who?" I asked, worriedly.

"Jayden and Carter. . . I found this by the trail we walk on to go cliff diving," he said holding out the piece of paper to us.

I grabbed it from him and Paul and I read along. Our eyes went wide with every passing sentence.

The first paragraph had information about every single one of the pack members, date of birth, parents, siblings, imprints, _everything!_

The second paragraph listed our 'strongest abilities.'

And then the there's the third and final paragraph. This paragraph listed the many ways to get past us or kill us. The third paragraph told us what we needed to know: Carter controls the five senses. And no shit Jayden's gonna use his boyfriend's gift to weaken us.

"How the fuck did they get past us all this time without one of us knowing?" Paul asked, his arms were starting to shake, shaking me in the process.

"Paul, I swear to God if you phase with me in your arms -"

He snapped his eyes shut and took in deep breaths. The shaking in his arms faded and he was calm again.

"What happened to you?" Seth asked me, eyeing my scowling figure in Paul's arms.

"I was running because I saw the leech and ran into Paul's body, breaking my leg in the process." I felt like an idiot.

"You saw him?" Seth growled. "Where is he?"

"I think he's gone. C'mon we need to go tell Sam about this," Paul said nodding to the piece of paper in my hands.

"Lee, you want me to carry you?" Seth offered, weakly.

"I got her, kid. Besides, you don't look so good. You might drop her," Paul said.

Seth nodded, and we walked out of the forest towards Sam's.

"Just wait 'till the guys read this," Paul chuckled dryly.

"All the imprinters are gonna freak," Seth agreed.

"The pack is gonna _love _this," I said. Notice the sarcasm.

The next pack meeting is gonna be hell.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, I'm not so happy with this chapter, but I needed to make this story a bit more dramatic. And guess what?! I know what to do with Jake and Leah now! But you have to wait and see! =) Please review and tell me what you think! I was originally gonna have it be Leah, Seth, and Embry, but then I wanted to show people a more, 'nicer' side of Paul and Leah. Hope you liked the chapter anyways! =)


	9. Reinforcements

**Chapter Nine: Reinforcements.**

* * *

**Leah POV**

We walked down the gravel road - well Seth and Paul walked - I was being carried around like a freaking Barbie doll in Paul's arms. Sam's house came into view, and I exhaled sharply.

All hell is going to break loose once the guys get an earful about what we're about to tell them.

"Paul, keep your trap shut and don't tell any of the guys, okay?" I knew he knew what I was talking about.

He lowered his head and smirked, "you afraid Sam's wrath, LC?"

"No," I growled. "In case you haven't noticed, we're being stalked by leeches, but of course mine and Jake's relationship is much more important than our lives."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed, "relax, I won't say anything. I wanna see _you _do it. Or better yet - Jake."

I elbowed his chest as hard as I could and grinned when I heard him hiss under his breath in pain.

"I don't believe him," Seth pipped up.

I turned my head and gave him a questioningly look, "why?"

He shrugged, "he's Paul. What do you expect?"

I smiled. Seth really _did _have a brain. And here I was, thinking the kid was mentally challenged. Well hey, he was basically in love with Edward Cullen, what was I suppose to think? That it was normal?

"Can't argue with that," I sighed dramatically, pretty much agreeing with what Seth said.

How could I forget that Paul was one to NEVER keep his thoughts to himself?

Stupid Leah, very, very stupid!

"I hate you Clearwaters," Paul hissed.

I grinned and threw him a wink just to piss him off. He began to shake with me still in his arms. Again.

"Paul -" I growled, warning him to control himself.

When he didn't stop, Seth intervened, "Paul, let me hold her."

_Let me hold her?_ They were making it sound like I was a new pet that they both wanted to coddle.

"No," Paul growled. "I can handle it. I'm calm."

His arms relaxed a little, but he was glaring at me. I fought the urge to backhand him and rolled my eyes instead.

"So you're not gonna tell Sam?" I asked, trying to get him to calm his horses down.

"No."

"Why?" I asked, truly curious.

"I told you," he said a little more calmly. "I wanna see you _or _Jake do it. . . you know. . . to humiliate yourselves. And besides, it's been a while since I've actually seen Sam all riled up. This should be a good show."

I scoffed, "Whatever. As long as you keep your flap shut, I'm good. That goes for you too, Seth."

I shot him a look and he rolled his eyes at me as if to say 'I know, you idiot.'

"Well, see you guys in hell," I said as we reached Sam's front door. "I'll save you a seat next to me and Satan, Paul."

Paul laughed a booming laugh and the door swung open.

Jacob, in all his sexy fucking glory, stood there gaping at the scene before him: A pale Seth Clearwater that looked terrified out of his mind, a smirking Paul that was eyeing the look on Jacob's face, and a sheepish Leah Clearwater in the arms of a barbarian.

Yep, we definitely were Hallmark material .

"What the hell is this?" Jacob hissed, staring Paul down with a murderous glare.

"Relax -" I started off, but of course, the freaking meat head holding me up just _had _to cut in.

"She broke her leg, so I carried her. You wouldn't want her limping around, would you?" Paul asked, smirking. The glint in his eye was so noticeable, I wanted to poke his eyeballs out and use them as puppets.

God, I'm a freak. Using his eyeballs as puppets? Yeah, I have officially gone insane.

Jacob's face instantly softened and he stretched his hands towards me.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Paul warned, in a condescending tone. "I'm afraid she's gonna have to stay _on me_. . . you know, for medical purposes."

"Medical purposes my ass! Hand her over!" Jake yelled, attempting to pull me out of Paul's grip.

I might as well just sign my dignity off with the way they're talking about me as if I'm an inanimate object.

Paul laughed and placed me into Jacob's arms. The minute my skin made contact with his, I felt an electric jolt run through my veins and out my finger tips. I looked into his eyes and knew instantly that he had felt that electric current too.

He smiled down at me and sighed in relief.

"Get a room," Paul muttered. "Or, better yet, use Sam's."

Seth, Jake, and I threw death glares at Paul. He backed up with his hands in the air, and laughed.

"He knows," Jake said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Seth decided to use this moment to excuse himself. Smart kid. Can't believe I didn't see it before.

I nodded sheepishly, "I couldn't hide it from him. I did for a while, but then he mentioned your name and your face and. . ."

"Your thoughts drifted towards us?" he finished for me, with a smirk.

"Yes," I sighed. "He told me he wouldn't tell anyone though."

"And you believe him?" he asked, skeptically.

"Honestly. . . yeah." I said, stroking his cheek. "I do believe him."

He nodded, "I'll trust your word for it. I want _us _to break the news to the pack. Not Paul."

We were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

Jacob turned around and stood face to face with a red-faced Sam.

"In the living room," he said through clenched teeth. "Now."

Jacob carried me into the living room and set me on the only seat on the couch between Embry and Quil. He sat on the floor next to Seth, Paul, and Jared. Everyone gave us weird looks except for Paul and Seth.

We really didn't feel like breaking the news to the pack right at the moment.

I caught Embry staring at my broken leg, surveying it.

"You like what you see?" I asked, smirking.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Jacob narrowing his eyes, waiting for Embry's response.

Embry's cheeks flushed a light shade of red, but winked at me nonetheless, "you know it."

That was _so _Embry. Get embarrassed then act cool to cover it up.

I heard Jacob exhale sharply, his eyes focused on Embry. I caught his eye, and smiled at him. He beamed right back.

Paul of course, saw our little interaction and burst into laughter, rolling on the ground, clutching his sides from laughing so hard.

Once he was able to compose himself, I flipped him off. He grinned and blew me a kiss. The asshole _blew me a kiss_!

Jesus! I really wanted to shove Emily's broom up his ass, and scream 'blow on this,' at his face.

I could _totally _see that happening with Emily walking in.

_"Uhm, Leah. . . I know you despise me, but what are you doing with my broom?" _

_"I'm shoving your broom up his ass. Hope that's okay with you - YEAH! BLOW ON THIS!"_

_"Oh, okay. . . well please don't make too much of a mess."_

I was in hysterics. I was literally dying on Sam's couch of laughter. Embry and Quil were looking at each other, trying to figure out what to do to me.

Quil awkwardly patted me on the back yelling, "don't choke! Spit it out!"

I fell on the floor, pounding my fists on the ground, laughing even harder at his stupidity. Paul snorted at Quil and joined in on the laughter as well.

"She wasn't choking, dimwit, she's laughing. People laugh," Jared said, shaking his head at Quil as if to say 'dumbass!'

Embry helped me back onto the couch, lifting me up by my waist.

"Everyone settle down," Sam ordered.

Everyone got quiet immediately. Way to ruin the mood, Sam.

"How was patrol? Anything new?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow at my broken leg.

"Broke my leg. Saw Jayden. Seth found a note."

"Care to be more specific?" he pushed, irritated by my lack of cooperation.

"Not really, that's really all that happened. If you want the full details, phase. Besides, Seth's news is more interesting," I said, jerking my thumb to Seth's direction.

Sam raised his eyebrows and sauntered over to Seth, "you have news?"

Seth handed the folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to Sam.

"What's this?" Sam asked, skeptically.

"This is gonna sound stupid, but this is literally _our worst nightmare."_

Okay, so that did, totally sound dumb. But I still couldn't help but agree with my brother 100%. It was, by far, _my_ worst nightmare. These vampires knew everything about me. They had just what it takes to. . . capture me.

Sam's eyebrows pulled together as he unfolded the piece of paper.

I watched as his eyes scanned through the paper, his eyes widening at every written sentence.

When he was done, he looked from me, to Seth, to Paul, and nodded.

He stood at the front of the room and spoke in a somber voice, "Seth's right. This is indeed _our worst nightmare._"

He passed the piece of paper to Embry, who read through it and clenched his fists. He handed it off to Quil, who had a look of pure horror etched upon his face. Quil passed it off to Jared, who looked just as terrified as Quil, and passed it on to Jacob. Jacob read it twice, letting the message sink into his head. He handed the paper back to Sam roughly, and looked at me with sad eyes.

I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around him and make those anguished eyes of his turn back to the happy, care-free ones that I love so much.

_Wait. Love?_

I'm not even going to continue this thought.

It was silent for a while. Everyone lost in their own thoughts. Then as if a time bomb went off, everyone was talking so fast and urgently, questions were flying everywhere. Everyone had grim expressions.

"They know everything," Jared whispered furiously.

Normally, I would've made a smart-ass remark about Jared whispering, but. . . now just wasn't the time.

"We've been stalked for months now!" Paul yelled angrily.

"How could we be so stupid and let them past us and into our homes?" Embry asked through gritted teeth.

"Because Carter can control the five senses," I answered.

"They know about our imprints," Quil said in a desperate voice.

"They will stop at nothing," Sam hissed under his breath. But we all heard it of course.

"How do we prepare for the next attack?" Jared asked.

"What if this paper was just a plot for an ambush?" Embry asked, eyeing the piece of paper in Sam's hands.

"They wouldn't need a plot, seeing as they can take EVERYTHING AWAY!" Paul yelled angrily.

"How would we kill them if one of them teleports and the other takes away our senses?!" I asked, balling my hands into fists.

"The Cullens," Seth suggested. "We helped them win their fight, they should help us too."

That's actually. . . a really good point.

"We don't need any help from _leeches_," Sam spat.

"We _do_ if we don't wanna DIE!" Seth spat back with just as much venom. I smiled.

My little Sethy's growing up.

"He's got a point," Embry pipped up. "They owe us. _Big time_."

Hell yeah, they do.

"I agree with Seth and Embry," I said. Everyone stared at me in shock, so I continued. "It wasn't our responsibility to fight off their war with Victoria, but we did. For the sake of our people. These bloodsuckers have technique and strategy. They're dangerous, and we really could use a mind fucker, fortune-teller, and an emo."

Sam glared at me. "You really think we would stoop that low and ask for _their _help?!"

"Do you not want us alive Sam?! Is your head so far up your ass that you _obviously _can't see what's right in front of you? If we don't ask them, we're gonna die," I said coldly.

Did he seriously care about the legends right now? I mean yeah, I hate the Cullens too, and so did the rest of the guys, except Seth. They're our _mortal enemies._ It's in our blood to hate them. But still, we've allied with them before, and as much as it pains me admit it, we work well together. We helped them, and I'm sure Edward Cullen would be more than willing to help us out. We saved his boo, after all.

"Sam. . ." Jared whispered. "She's right. The three of them are right. We're enemies, I get that. We hate them just as much as you hate them, but. . . this is our lives we're putting on the line."

Sam was rubbing his right temple, muttering under his breath furiously. I caught Jacob staring at Sam in disbelief. He's been awfully quite, why hasn't he spoken? I miss his voice.

"Are you even listening to a word they're saying?" Jacob asked Sam, standing up.

Sam's eyes snapped open and he glared at Jacob. "They're our enemies. They won't help us."

"Yes they will," Jake argued back.

"No, they won't Jacob. Stop getting your hopes up!" Sam growled.

"Sam. . . dude, just. . . if it weren't for the leeches, we would've gone on with our lives not knowing that two bloodsuckers were stalking us," Paul said, trying to sound calm.

"No, Paul. _We _saw them on the beach," Sam hissed.

"But it's not like we'd ever be able to find them again if Alice hadn't told me what she saw! If she didn't tell me, we would've been helpless. They would've just used their gifts on us like they had in the past," Seth argued, making a pretty god damn good point.

"They are NOT going to help us," Sam growled.

"But why, Sam? Jacob almost got killed fighting THEIR battle. It's only fair if they help us fight OURS," Quil said, staring at the piece of paper with pure hatred.

"Thats - "

"Sam. It's _me _they want. And like you said, they won't stop at nothing. What makes you think we can take them out on our own? For God's sake Sam, they blinded us all at the same time! How exactly can we 'fight' them if we're blind? If we can't hear? Or smell?" I looked him right in the eye, waiting for a response.

He sighed and shook his head, "Leah - "

"No Sam. You're not listening to what any of these guys are saying. Are you really willing to put _my life _on the line over your stupid pride? Jared's right, we hate them just as much as you do. But they owe us, just like Embry said. _B__ig time._ Paul and Seth made a good point too, if Alice hadn't informed our pack what the bloodsuckers were after, we wouldn't know a damn thing about them. And Quil just _reminded _you that Jake got hurt the last time we fought with the Cullens. . . . Sam, what if it's _me_ that gets hurt next time? What if they _catch _me? What are you gonna do then? You're basically sending me off to a death sentence. . . And they know about Emily too. You're supposed to keep her safe Sam, and right now, the Cullens are the only option we have left."

Answer to that, beyotch!

I swear, if this prick doesn't listen to us, I'm gonna tear his dick off and shove it down his throat.

Everyone around the room stared at Sam with grim expressions. All of us waiting for an answer.

"Okay," he sighed. "You're right."

_Of course we are, you son of a bitch!_ I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from actually saying that to him.

"Friday is the day we all head down to the Cullens. It's better if the whole pack is there. Understood?"

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and nodded. But that didn't make my anger evaporate from my skull. I still wanted to kill Sam for almost voting against my life. Fucking prick.

"So what do we do about patrol?" Seth asked.

"Embry, Quil, Jacob, and Leah." All of our heads perked up at Sam. "You patrol tomorrow night."

"Jared, Paul, Seth, and I will patrol tonight."

"But I already went on patrol today!" Paul complained.

Sam shot him a look and he got quiet instantly. Pansy.

"No one is to go anywhere alone," Sam ordered.

Yeah, we all know that already. But then, how did. . . .

"How did Seth get off the hook for leaving home alone today?" I asked.

"He wasn't alone. I was in wolf form with Paul, just going for a run. We knew Seth was coming. We followed him."

I shrugged. At least he didn't let my brother go out unprotected.

"Are we done here?" Embry asked.

"Yeah - "

"No - I, uh - I mean - _we_ have something to tell you guys," Jacob said, standing up and gesturing to me.

I looked at him questioningly, and he nodded back in encouragement. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Meandjakearetogether," I mumbled. There. All done.

I saw Paul smirking on the floor, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

Oh how I wanted to sucker punch that cocky bastard.

"What? I barely understood a thing you said," Jared said.

Sam looked back and forth between me and Jake and narrowed his eyes.

"Me and Leah are together," Jake said, this time.

"Come again?" Quil asked. This obviously came as a big shock to all of them.

"Me. And. Jake. Are. Together." I said, enunciating each word slowly.

Paul burst out laughing, Seth grinned cheekily, and the rest of the pack stared wide-eyed at us.

Paul noticed this and cocked an eyebrow, "Aw, come on! I thought you guys would've laughed with me. Seriously, why does this shock you? They're practically perfect for each other. Look at them, they're so similar it's creepy!"

I looked down blushing furiously, using my hair as a shield to block anyone from seeing my rosy-tinted cheeks. I hated myself for blushing. Especially at something Paul had said! What the hell is up with me?! I never blush! The last time I blushed was when Sam. . . proposed.

I shook my head to clear out my plaguing thoughts of Sam and turned to face Jacob, who too had rosy-tinted cheeks.

_Aw! How cute! He's blushing! God, he looks so hot!_

Embry broke the silence and chuckled. Everyone's head snapped in his direction. He gave me a one-armed hug and congratulated me.

"Yo Jake!" Embry called. "You better watch yourself. If I knew Leah Clearwater was into wolf-men, I woulda spit my game earlier, but you beat me. Congrats man, I'm happy for you guys. You've got one hell of a woman."

And with that, Embry wolf-whistled, and the rest of the pack laughed, and all the awkward tension was gone. All except for one, Sam Uley.

He literally looked like he was about to blow up into a bazillion little pieces. I rolled my eyes and let the rest of the pack tease me and Jake for a little while more before I shot back with my own come backs.

"So...ever tried it doggy style?" Quil asked, stifling his laughter.

"DUDE! THAT'S MY _SISTER!_" Seth screamed, cupping his hands over his ears. Ha, as if that'll help.

"Yeah, and she's. . ." Quil looked at me before shrugging and deliberately continuing, "hot."

"You imprinted!" Seth accused. "You can't think that!"

"And? I can still look, can't I? Pull your panties out of your ass for a minute, I just think she's feisty," Quil said casually, before winking at me.

I smiled sweetly back at him and bitchslapped him before he could even blink.

The pack erupted with laughter when Quil rubbed his cheek.

"Jacob, Leah, can I talk to you for a minute?" Sam asked. "Alone?"

The both of us stood up and followed Sam into the kitchen.

"What's this about?" Sam asked.

"What's what about?" I spat.

"You two! You can't be together! It's - it's not right! What if you imprint, Jacob?!"

EXCUSE ME? _Not right?!_ Oh hell naw, son of a -

"I won't imprint, Sam," Jacob said fiercely.

"You don't know that. And if you do, you can't control it. You'd have no choice but to be with her!"

"Sam, I trust him," I said, as I felt my anger start to flare again.

_Wait, do you?_

"Leah, what if he hurts you?" Sam pleaded.

_Not a bad point, Sam._

"I'm not going to hurt her Sam. I'm not you," Jacob spat, fully convinced that he won't imprint.

_And _that's _why I trust him._

I smirked. My beta just dissed my alpha.

"Jacob, this isn't just a game you can mess around in. This is the real deal," Sam growled.

"Leah and I are the real deal," Jake said, draping his arm around my shoulders.

"No. The real deal is Emily and I. Jared and Kim. Quil and Claire. THAT is the real deal."

I was surprised that I didn't flinch when he said 'Emily and I,' but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. Of course it hurt, Emily is living the life that was suppose to be mine. Fate basically thrown the groom that was suppose to be my husband at her. And she didn't even think about how it made me feel. And here, Sam was, rubbing it in my face.

_You can look but you can't touch. _That's probably one of my best examples of Sam Uley.

And Emily. Those scars of hers are like revenge though. It pleases me to see them marked on her skin every time I see her, because to me, it's like vengeance And you know what they say, _vengeance is sweet._

"No. The real deal is _me _and _Jake._ We're not bounded by something that blinds us. We see each other clearly and fell for each other the natural way, now if you excuse us, we have some shagging to do," I sneered, dragging Jake out of the house.

"Just so you know, you probably pissed him off more than the both of us combined did," Jake whispered in my ear.

He walked in front of me with his hands around my waist and my arms around his neck, our foreheads touching.

"I know, that's what I was aiming for. If he gets pissed enough, he'll leave us alone," I said, shrugging. I pecked his lips softly.

"I liked what you said," he breathed. "And I'm completely fine with shagging."

I laughed. "I don't even know why I said 'shagging.' I guess those Austin Powers movies that mom bought a long time ago are now finally getting to me."

"No, no," he whispered. "Shagging. Shagging is good."

We stopped walking. He traced my bottom lip with his tongue and lifting me up by the waist. I locked my legs around his hips and sucked on his bottom lip. He lips parted and our tongues went at it, not darting at each other like medieval knights with swords, but caressing each other and, softly stroking the other.

I broke the kiss and gasped for air, and went for his neck. I trailed kisses up his neck, under his earlobe along his jaw.

"Mmm, Lee-yahh." Hearing Jake moan my name put my 'horny meter' to a 9. If he does one more sexy thing, I just might sex him up right here on this gravel road.

Shit. We probably look like sexaholics to passersby.

"Jake," I breathed, "my house or yours?"

"Yours. My dad's home."

And with that, he was running, with me still clinging onto him.

"Leah, you have no idea how much I want you right now," Jake panted. The wind was whipping at his face, but it felt good against my back.

"Why don't you show me how much you want me, Jake," I purred. Jake growled and sprinted faster to my house.

I sucked on his earlobe, nibbling at it, and went back to his neck. We reached my house in a matter of seconds.

"Lee -" he breathed. "Where are your fucking keys?!"

"Under the mat," I mumbled, against his neck.

I slid off of him and dug for the keys under the mat.

"Found it!" I yelled enthusiastically. I jammed the key into door knob and turned it.

Once the door opened, I was off the ground again in Jake's arms, and Jake was running up the stairs to my room, bridal style.

He opened the door, and kicked it shut. He set me on the bed carefully and planted a kiss on my forehead.

He walked over to the door and locked it. A mischievous smile crept across his face, and I gestured him to come with my index finger.

Jake swiftly took his shirt off and threw it behind him. I watched him coming closer and closer, my eyes travelled down to where his shorts hung dangerously low on his hips. I wonder if he was going commando now? I got up on my knees jumped to him when he was close enough. As soon as he caught me, his lips were on mine. Scorching hot flames made their way through my veins, making the adrenaline unbearable. I wanted him and I wanted him NOW!

I slid off of him again, and pushed him on the bed.

I backed up a few steps and very slowly, very seductively, pulled my shirt over my head, and dropping it on the floor. His eyes were examining my figure, appreciating my perfect frame. He then locked his eyes with my breasts. I saw the hunger in his eyes and smiled to myself.

I slowly moved my hands to the button of my pants, but he was in front of me in an instant.

"Allow me," he said in a deep husky voice.

"Go for it," I breathed in his ear.

He growled and moved me to the bed. He ran his hands down my chest, tracing my curves, and swirling his tongue around my belly button.

Jake unbuttoned my pants and eagerly unzipped them, but I stopped him.

I pulled him down on top of me and whispered in his ear, "you first."

His chest rumbled, and I flipped him over so I was on top of him.

"Sorry baby, but your shorts go before mine," I said, straddling him.

"Leahh," he whined, "your killing me!"

I bent down to kiss him, and as soon as my lips touched his, a fire, like I never felt before, ignited. It didn't burn, it just felt. . . right. Jake's lips tackled mine, dominating my tongue, and I unbuttoned his pants and undid the zipper.

He cupped my left breast and squeezed it-

"LEAH?!"

Our eyes snapped open and I flew off of him and scurried to get my clothes on.

WHAT THE FUCK IS SETH DOING HERE?! HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE WITH SAM!

I heard Seth's footsteps coming up the stairs. "Leah?"

I looked around frantically for my shirt, I checked under the bed, under my covers, in the floor.

I looked over at Jake and did a double take. There, in his hands, was my shirt, dangling in front of his face.

"Give that back!" I whispered furiously.

"Kiss me," he smirked.

"JAKE!" I half-whispered, half-screamed.

"Kiss me."

I took 4 big strides across the room and laid my lips over his, and then suddenly, all thoughts were cleared from my mind. I cupped his cheek and pulled his face closer and I felt the liquid fire inside me ignite once again. My lips moved in synchronization with his, he held me tighter against his- "LEAH?! Where are you?"

I pulled away from Jacob and immediately felt cold. And I know he felt the same way, because I distinctly saw goosebumps form on his arms when we released each other. Werewolves don't get cold, but Jacob had goosebumps. Good sign, right? That means, I'm driving him just as crazy as he's driving me.

Jacob handed me my shirt and I slipped it on, re-buttoning my pants and zipping them back up.

Jake slipped his shirt on and fixed his shorts.

"Leah? I know you're in there. I can hear you. Come downstairs, I ordered pizza," Seth said, outside my door.

"Kay, thanks!" I said, trying to sound like I wasn't just about to have sex.

I heard Seth making his way back down the stairs, and Jacob was at my side again.

"I really hate your brother for ruining this," Jake said, leaning against my door.

"Me too, but don't worry. I'll make it up to you," I said, winking at him.

"I hope that's a promise, Clearwater," Jake whispered against my ear.

"I promise. You aren't the only one that's disappointed about the. . . interruption, you know."

He took my hand in both of his and brought it to his lips. "You have no idea how hard I'm falling for you."

"You wouldn't believe how hard _I'm_ falling for you if I told you," I whispered back.

He smiled and released my hand. There immediately was a static pull that almost literally forced our hands back together. If this happened with someone else, I would've been scared shit-less. But no, I'm with Jacob, and for some reason, I feel _complete_.

Jake seemed to notice the static magnitude also. He looked down at our hands that were 2 inches apart from each other, intrigued, and grinned. "I guess our bodies can't get enough physical contact."

I laughed, and opened the door. Jake walked beside me and laced his fingers with mine and whispered softly in my ear, "not that I mind the physical contact."

* * *

**Author's Note: **REVIEW! Yay, chapter nine! So, sorry about the sex scene, but I wanted you guys to wait a little longer before the actual sex scene happens. I want it to be special. And well, Leah's house with Seth around just doesn't cut it, and neither does Jake's. Maybe the beach...haha, I'm just messing with you. Please tell me what you think! =)

I wanted to thank you all for sticking with my story for 9 chapters, I mean wow. This is my first fan fiction, and I never thought it'd get past 100 reviews, and yet you guys made it happen in 8 chapters. Thank you so much, it means a lot to me, and I love that you guys keep giving me advice! Thank you!


	10. Interference

**Chapter Ten: Interference  
**

* * *

**Jacob POV**

Seth is the ultimate cock-block. I was about to get laid and Seth cock-blocked. Leah was about to get laid and Seth cock-blocked. He cock-blocked. Cock-blocked. Did I mention he cock-blocked?

I looked down at mine and Leah's entwined hands. Her hand fit so perfectly in mine. She had beautiful hands too, the weren't calloused and rough like mine or any of the other guys, they were soft and almost fragile-looking. But you know what they say, _you can't judge a book by it's cover. _Yes, we've all learned that the hard way when Leah's so called 'delicate' hands all left us with broken jaws, black eyes, and bloody noses. The only ones she left unharmed were Seth, Jared, and Embry. Why? Because they're smart and don't provoke her enough to leave them injured. Not yet, at least. Paul, Sam, Quil, and I, have all had our fair share in bloody noses, broken cartilages, cracked jaws, and black eyes. I guess you can call us the idiots of the group. Why? Because we're the exact opposite of the unharmed three. Well, me, Paul, and Quil, find it hilarious when she's pissed, hot even. As for Sam...well she just hates him, so he gets injured anyway. It's a given.

My girls got one hell of a right hook and I find that sexy as hell. And if you think she hasn't slapped us before, think again. She gives bitch-slapping or backhanding a whole new meaning. There was this one time when Leah first phased and where Paul grabbed her ass, she spun around and slapped him right across the face. The moron had to walk around the Rez with a swollen, raw-looking, hand print on his cheek. It was hilarious, Sam even laughed. Paul never grabbed her ass again. But he's still Paul, so there will be times when he'll slap her ass and run away.

"What the hell are you staring at?" Leah whispered, as we reached the end of the stairs.

"Your hands."

She gave me a look and shook her head, "you're so weird."

"Thanks," I grinned.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"I know," I shrugged.

She rolled her eyes and called out for Seth.

Seth ran into the living room, looked at me skeptically, turned to face Leah and froze.

"Is the pizza here?" Leah asked.

Seth's eyes landed on me. They were filled with. . . anger?

"Yeah, it's on the kitchen counter," he said, never taking his eyes off of me.

Leah released my hand and bounded into the kitchen. My body immediately felt cold, except for my palm, it still had a burning presence of her hand entwined with mine. It's weird and it kind of scares me. I mean, I _never _get cold, and here I am, getting cold when she's not hanging onto me. And she even gave me _goosebumps_ when she pulled herself away from our hugging embrace upstairs. Goosebumps! It scares me because I don't want to be clingy and scare her away, but I can't help but like that I only feel _alive _and _on fire _when she's with me, otherwise I'm just_ cold _and _lonely. _

"You okay man?" I asked Seth warily.

"Her shirt," he hissed.

_Geez. What crawled up his ass?_

"What about it?" I asked.

His eyes narrowed into slits and his lips tightened.

"It's on backwards," he sneered.

Oh shit.

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"Her. Shirt. Is. On. _Backwards_." he said, saying each word very slowly in a controlled voice, and enunciating 'backwards'.

Fuck my life. Taha Aki take me now, please. I swear, I'm ready to go.

I had no idea what to say to him, I mean he obviously thought me and Leah were up in her room doing mattress mambo - which we were _about to_ until he COCK-BLOCKED. But we weren't, even though she and I wish we were.

"It's not what it looks like," I said, before I could even think.

I mentally kicked myself, there's no way the kids gonna believe that. Why else would her shirt be on backwards when it was on the correct way when she left Sam's?

Fuck my slow ass brain! Couldn't I come up with a better fucking excuse?

"Do you actually think I believe you?" he half whispered, half yelled, furiously.

When I didn't answer, he continued.

"Jake! - "

"Seth, shut up. We didn't have sex. I promise," Leah said from the kitchen.

Seth's cringed and turned around, heading back into the kitchen, muttering profanities under his breath.

_Well. . . glad that's over._

I followed Seth into the kitchen and grabbed myself a slice of pizza, taking a seat next to Leah.

The three of us at in silence, not bothering to look at one another.

"Soooo. . . why'd you order pizza? Aren't you suppose to be patrolling with Sam? And did you come here alone? We aren't suppose to be alone, you remember that right?" Leah asked, breaking the awkward silence.

_Yes Seth, why are you here? You ruined a very good hormonal moment. Why'd you have to COCK-BLOCK?!_

"I uhh, ordered pizza because, we didn't have anything to eat. . . and S-Sam said I could have tonight off since I patrolled with you and Paul today. . . he, uh. . . walked me home . . ." Seth said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

_Neck-scratching. It's the pack's signature move - me included - when we're nervous. __  
_

Leah narrowed her eyes and took a bite out of her pizza.

"Bullshit. Our fridge is loaded with food and there's no way Sam would let you off the hook so easily and still make_ Paul_ patrol if he was with us today too."

"Well, I didn't feel like cooking and I knew you wouldn't want to either. . ."

_Nice try, kid._

"We're both lazy. I get that. That's why we bought _sandwiches_." she stated.

"Well, we need to save some of them. We can't just keep on eating them everyday. I'm sure you're getting tired of them by now. . . ."

Leah's jaw clenched and her hand gripped onto her pizza, causing the sauce to ooze through her fingers.

"Forget the damn food! What about Paul?" she challenged.

"He went. . . home. . . yeah, he went home."

_Damnit Seth, you suck at lying!_

"Is that so?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He nodded his head very slowly.

She fished her pocket for her cell phone and dialed a number. I watched her curiously, while Seth watched her with nervous eyes. I swear the kids gonna break into a sweat anytime soon.

She pushed the end button and sighed dramatically, "Paul won't answer his cell. Maybe I should try his house?"

Leah smirked as Seth's eyes grew wide.

_Nice Seth. Now she _really _believes you._

I leaned over Leah's shoulder, getting a good look at what she was doing. Seth, on the other hand, was tripping balls as he watched Leah slowly make her way down her contact's list, landing on 'Paul Lahote (Home)'. Leah gently pushed the talk button - for a dramatic affect of course - and pulled the phone close to her ear.

"Hello, Mrs. Lahote, is Paul home?" Leah asked, in a sweet voice.

". . . oh, he's not?" Leah asked in a fake, saddened tone, while smirking at a hyperventilating Seth.

"No, it's okay. . . he's probably at Sam's, but thanks anyway Mrs. Lahote." Leah said, ending the call.

Leah turned around to fully face Seth.

_Brace yourself, kid. You're in for it now._

"Paul's not home," Leah said, grinning smugly.

"I heard," Seth muttered, not meeting Leah's eyes.

"Well, I'll wait here all night until you tell me the truth," Leah declared determinedly.

_Yeah, right. More like 4 minutes._

"Okay," he nodded sadly, slumping his shoulders.

5 seconds of silence went by, then 30, then 55.

I looked from Seth's defeated, slouched figure, to Leah's determined, poised figure. I eyed each of them carefully, knowing one of the two was going to crack sooner or later.

It might be Seth. He always gives in too easily, _and_ he can't stand Leah being mad at him. But then again, it could be Leah. She's impatient, stubborn, and hates not knowing things.

2 minutes went by. . . . 2 minutes and 26 seconds. . . . 2 minutes and 42 seconds. . . .

Seth bit his lip. Leah's jaw clenched. But nothing.

Silence.

3 minutes and 57 -

"Seth. You will tell me why you ordered pizza and why you're not out patrolling with Sam. Now!" Leah ordered, balling her hands into fists.

_Aha! 3 minutes and 57 seconds! That's close enough to 4 minutes! HELL YEAH! Who's the man?! I am!_

I coughed a laugh, and watched the bickering siblings with intense interest like it was some sort of reality show.

"Sam," Seth whispered.

"What about him?" she snapped angrily.

_Uh oh. Should I intervene?_

Nah. They can handle it.

"H-He ordered me to do it, Lee. You gotta believe me," Seth pleaded.

Leah's face hardened and her nostrils flared. I laid a hand on her shoulder encouragingly, but she shoved it off.

"What does he want?" she asked slowly, trying to subside her obvious rage for her brother's sake.

"He wants me to sweet talk you and get you calm enough until he comes over," Seth said quickly.

"WHAT?!" I demanded.

Seth's and Leah's head turned to me, shocked.

"What does he want?" I growled.

Leah raised her left brow - it's always the left eyebrow- and gave me a questioning look.

Her eyes faltered from mine and turned towards Seth again.

"Yeah, what does he want?" Leah agreed, crossing her her arms defiantly.

That's my girl.

"To. . ." Seth sighed. "To switch up the partnerships."

"NO!" Leah and I both yelled.

I was pissed. No, scratch that last, I was beyond pissed. OUTRAGEDis more like it. I mean, where the hell does Sam come off switching around the partners? What the fuck is his problem? Doesn' t he see that everyone's doing perfectly well with their partners?!

_That's his problem. He _doesn't _want to see you and Leah doing 'perfectly well' together. _

What the fuck?

_Let me put it in words where you can understand: He doesn't want you stealing his 'Lee-Lee.'_

That bastard. It's true. Of course he would do this. Of course. He was pissed when we told him that we were dating, and I'm pretty sure Leah crossed the line when she told him that we were _sleeping together._

Not only did I get cock-blocked by Seth, but now by Sam as well! Unbelievable.

"He wants to split me and Leah up," I spat.

"When is he coming?" Leah growled.

"Now," Seth whispered, cowering away from our menacing daggers - of - death.

Sure enough, the doorbell rang. _Kids got good ears._

None of us got up to answer it. Leah fidgeted with her phone, pushing random buttons.

It rang three more times. When we didn't answer it, we heard the door creak open.

"Leah?" Sam called out, shutting the door behind him.

None of us answered him. None of us moved from our spots. Leah was still playing with her phone. Searching for. . . blue tooth devices?

The three of us tensed when we heard his footsteps making its way to the kitchen.

"Leah," he breathed.

Leah set her phone on the counter and flexed her hands with a burning look of hatred.

I felt my phone vibrate, and heard Seth's vibrating on the counter top, but paid no attention to it.

I growled and we all turned to face him at the same time. Fury was blazing in my eyes, mirrored by Leah and surprisingly, Seth.

"Why the _fuck _are you doing this?" Leah growled.

Sam looked confused, then his mind clearly registered what Leah was talking about. He whipped his head to Seth and glared.

"You told them." Sam accused, narrowing his eyes at Seth.

"She's my sister," Seth shrugged.

"I ordered you not to tell her," he said, taking a step closer to Seth.

Leah growled, but I held her back.

"No," Seth said. "You ordered me to get her calm enough so that you could talk to her. You never ordered me to not tell her what was going on, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do it."

"Smart ass," Sam sneered, shaking his head in frustration.

"Guess who I get it from?" Seth smiled cheekily, jerking his thumb to Leah.

Sam rolled his eyes and turned to put his full attention on Leah.

"Leah," he started. "I'm only doing this because it's what's best for the pack."

"No, clearly you're not. Can't you see that everyone is fine with the arrangements? _You're_ the only one that seems to have a problem with it!" Leah yelled, taking a step forward, looking Sam right in the eyes.

"Leah -"

"Where are Paul and Jared?!" she demanded.

"Whaa. . . ? Why?" Sam asked, stupidly.

Paul and Jared? Why would she need them?

"Don't play stupid with me Sam, I'm not an idiot. You chose Paul, Seth, and Jared to go on patrol today for a reason. You made up your mind today during the pack meeting, that's why you looked so _mad. _You knew we were dating, or at least had an idea that something was going on between me and Jake. You needed Seth to keep me calm before you came over and 'talked' with me, and you chose Paul and Jared because you want them to partner up with me and Jake."

Wow. That makes. . . a lot of sense, actually.

"Is this true, Sam?" I growled.

"Parts of it," he replied, calmly.

"Sam -"

"PAUL! JARED! GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE!" Leah screamed.

What?

We heard the door creak open and saw the sheepish faces of Paul and Jared come into view, stopping in the Clearwater's kitchen.

"How did - how'd you know they were out there?" Sam asked in disbelief.

Leah picked up her phone from the counter and faced the screen to him. Sam took a good look at it and growled.

Seth and I nudged Leah to get a look at what she just showed Sam. I nearly pissed myself, not because I was scared, but because it was so damn hilarious. On the screen, it read, 'blue tooth devices found: J. Black, S. Clearwater, P. Lahote, & J. Cameron,'

I looked up at Sam and smirked.

How was he gonna get out of this one? He just got schooled by Leah and her phone. With the help of Paul and Jared of course.  
I never thought I'd say this but, _I've never been more happy to see Paul and Jared._

"Were you guys aware that Leah's phone was searching for other devices with blue tooth?" Sam asked, in an irritated tone.

"Yeah, but you told us not to say nothing unless we were called," Jared reasoned.

Paul smirked, but nodded nonetheless.

"You think this is _funny,_ Paul?!" Sam growled.

"Well. . . kinda. . ."

Sam gave him a warning look but Paul seemed unfazed, he seemed to think this was all a hilarious situation. Which, it partly was.

Jared elbowed Paul, and told him to shut up under his breath. That seemed to get him to shut up. I swear those two are gay for each other.

"Why didn't it show _my _phone?" Sam asked curiously.

Leah scoffed, "don't you remember?"

Leah snorted at Sam's confused face.

"If I remember correctly, which I do by the way, you made an announcement a couple of months ago saying you didn't need blue tooth or texting because it was just a waste of time. You wanted to be _different _and not go with the flow," Leah said, impersonating Sam's deep voice.

Sam looked around, eyeing every single one of our faces carefully. Each of us had the same expression, smug smiles, and mocking eyes. Hell, even Jared, Sam's personal bitch, looked amused.

"This is beside the point," Sam said in an aggravated tone, trying to change the subject.

"You're just mad that my phone couldn't find your weak ass device!" Leah said, pushing him back with great force.

He flew back but caught himself before he hit the wall. He locked eyes with her, infuriated.

"Enough Leah, I came here to talk -"

"Get the hell out of my house, Uley. I don't give a damn about what you have to say."

"Leah," Sam warned, taking a few steps towards Leah.

I tensed, sensing something bad coming. I wrapped my arm around her waist protectively. Seth inched closer to Leah's right, daring Sam to come closer. Sam saw our little interaction and clenched his fists.

"Where the hell do you come off, rearranging our partners Sam?! Why is it so hard for you to see other people happy for once? Paul and Jared probably don't want to switch partners with anyone else just as much as me and Jake! Did you ever think about that? Of course you didn't!" Leah screamed, her face was slightly flustered, her cheeks were tinted a light rosy color, and I saw little beads of sweat rolling down the side of her beautiful face.

Paul and Jared looked at each other confused, then at Sam expectantly. Huh, guess our alpha hasn't mentioned his little 'scheme' to them.

"Leah, I'm warning you," Sam growled.

"What are you gonna do, asshole? Are you afraid -"

"ENOUGH!" Sam roared, using his alpha command.

Leah's mouth immediately snapped shut, and I felt her flinch. She staggered backwards at the power of the command, shooting him a vicious glare that was mixed with pain. I growled at Sam, letting the anger finally seep through me. How can we call this bastard our Alpha? What kind of leader commands someone to stop talking in the middle of an argument? Leah's right. He _is_ afraid. Even though she didn't get to finish her sentence, I knew what she was going to say. _Are you afraid that I'll humiliate you in front of the pack? _The selfish, inconsiderate, bastard! His head is wound so far up his ass, he doesn't know what he's saying, much less, thinking. He just _ordered_ Leah to stop talking, to stop making her point. Leah. _My _Leah. My _girlfriend_. He silenced her. Because she's right. He doesn't want her to humiliate him. Too bad he just humiliated himself. He silenced her from continuing her argument because he, just like me and the others, knew what she was about to say. And if he did let her continue, he wouldn't have been able to respond with a good enough comeback. A valid excuse. So he chose the easy way out. The _cowardly _way out. The alpha command. He didn't want to lose. But we saw it. Paul knew it, Jared knew it, Seth knew it, and _I _sure as hell knew it: Leah had won this round.

He used the command. He _cheated. _We all know that if he didn't use the command, she would've destroyed him in a heartbeat with just a fourth of her vulgar vocabulary. Seth told me once, that she had plans of becoming a lawyer, but fate stepped in and decided that they wanted her to be a 'Protector.' Why? Hell if we know, but, it all works out. She may be the fastest, but she's also brainy. She always wins arguments. She's a logical thinker - like Embry - so when she argues she only says things that will justify her argument. Even if she points out the smallest of things, she makes it so that it's something huge. She lures everyone in and explains everything thoroughly. Even if she's screaming at us, we believe her. Why? She's persuasive, you can't deny it, even if she is an angry shrew. _My _angry shrew. Combine Embry's logical mind, Jared's brains, and Leah's perceptive, straight-forward mind, you've got one hell of a threat. And if you add in the rest of the pack, you've got yourself a death sentence. Worse than the electric chair. But back to my point, take away her temper issues, and her strong choice of curse words, and you got yourself a perfect spitting image of a hot ass lawyer. Sam's just. . . intimidated.

"Was that really necessary, Sam?" I growled, hugging Leah's body closer against me.

Sam looked disheveled, torn between guilt and rage. He looked at Leah's furious but pained face and frowned.

"Leah," he whispered. "Lee -"

"Get out, Sam." I warned.

His eyes snapped to my face and he scowled, "you will stay out of this Jacob."

"NO," I said defiantly.

"YES," he said, lacing the word with the alpha command.

I opened my mouth, trying to fight off the command, I tried to speak, but nothing came out. It's like the chains of the alpha command were pulling me down. My hands started to tremble, I didn't care if he was the alpha or not. If he was as strong as he says he is, he would fight me and not pull the command on me. My whole body was shaking now, and I felt the familiar heat run up my spine. But then I felt a warm hand being laid gently on the back of my hand. My eyes snapped open only to be locked with her mesmerizing hazel ones staring back at me lovingly.

_Lovingly._ Yes, I like the sound of that.

The tremors going up my spine immediately stopped, and the shaking subdued. All because of the girl standing before me in my arms.

I almost phased with her in my arms! I mentally punched myself, screaming at myself for being an idiot. How could I be so stupid and _forget_ that she was _in my arms_?

She tore her eyes away from mine and looked back at an irritated Sam with a blank face. I followed suit, except my face conveyed emotion. Only one emotion at that: Fury.

"Well, seeing as you won't talk to me, I'll just set things straight. Leah you will be with Jared from now on. Jacob you will be with Paul, and Seth you will stick with me."

I couldn't speak. He silenced me just like he silenced Leah. Well, technically we could speak, but right now, neither of us wanted to cooperate. Paul and Jared stayed quiet too.

"Why'd you partner them up in the first place then?" Seth demanded.

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Jake and Leah. Who else?" Seth asked, angrily.

"Now's not the time, Seth."

"The hell it isn't! I want an explanation too!" Paul growled.

Sam's jaw clenched, and cracked his neck.

_I really hope he's not trying to look intimidating by doing that._

"I put Leah with Jake because he is the beta, because if she's in danger, he'll be able to help her. He's experienced and strong. I would've partnered myself with her, but I knew she wouldn't cooperate," he spat, probably furious that his orders were being questioned.

"And I'm with you because?" Seth pushed, growing redder with every passing minute.

"You and Leah are the newest. It would only make sense if our youngest wolf was with me since his sister would choose to be with anyone other than the alpha. You and Leah need protection the most. You're the newbies," Sam stated casually.

Does he think this is funny? He basically just called Leah and Seth weak! How much of a dick can Sam be? They need to be 'protected?'

Excellent job, Sam. Way to gain respect from the Clearwaters.

Seth's arms were shaking, and his eyes were shut tightly, trying to fight the urge to phase. My eyes travelled to Jared, who was looking at Leah and Seth with a frown, before looking down at the ground, furrowing his brows. Paul watched Seth fighting the urge to stay calm for a while until his eyes wandered to Leah's furious but pained expression. He took one look at her and snapped his eyes back at Sam with disbelieving eyes. He ground his teeth together, and followed Jared's gaze, staring at the ground.

Seth was outraged, of course, because Sam just embarrassed him and his sister. Jared and Paul are pissed because, yes, Sam just dissed the Clearwaters. And to be honest, our pack wouldn't be as powerful or threatening if the Clearwaters weren't there. Leah's speed, and Seth's all ears. There's no doubt about it that these two can fight. But I know for a fact that Jared and Paul are pissed because of the way Sam's treating Leah. They hide that they care about her - like the rest of the guys do - but Sam crossed the line, and they are pissed. They care about Leah, and like I said earlier, they'd murder anyone that not so much as grabbed her ass. But this is _Sam_ we're talking about, our _alpha_. We can't defy him, because he's almighty and has a commanding, piece of shit voice. All they can do is get mad and stare at the ground.

My eyes finally found Sam's, that were staring back at me. I kept my eyes locked on his, never faltering. The worst he could do was order me to look away like the control-freak that he was. Seriously, why did our ancestors choose him to turn into a wolf? Stupid question. I know he is a descendant from Levi Uley and all that crap, but even then, I feel like Sam would be better of shifting into a flamingo or something.

During our little staring contest, his phone went off. He flipped it open and answered it, his eyes never left mine.

"Emily," he breathed. ". . . I'll be right over. . . love you too, bye."

Leah flinched, and I looked down at her sadly. I knew exactly how she felt. I use to be in her position with Bella and Edward. But it still didn't change the fact that it hurt to see her flinch when Sam told Emily he loved her. Leah should be over Sam. He doesn't deserve her.

_He never did._

"I'll see you tonight at 8, Leah." Sam said, before walking out the door.

"I hate this," Paul growled.

"Lee? Are you okay?" Jared asked, walking cautiously over to her.

"Yeah," she said in a defeated tone. "I just don't want go to his fucking house."

"Then don't go, Leah. No one's gonna make you." Paul growled, walking towards her as well.

"My _mom's _making me," she sneered.

"What?" Seth asked in disbelief. "She's _making_ you?"

"Yup," she laughed darkly. "She says this will be good for me."

I pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. I'll go with her, if she wants.

"Want me to come?" Seth offered.

That's was _my_ line, kid.

Paul grabbed Leah's shoulders and shook her, "since when do you do what you're told? If you don't wanna go, then don't go, you idiot!"

Leah's lip curled back and she snarled, "this is my _mom _we're talking about, jackass!"

Paul started to shake, his hands still gripping onto Leah's shoulders.

"Paul," I growled. "Let go of her."

He ignored me.

"PAUL!" Jared growled. "Get your hands off her! You're about to phase dude!"

When he didn't budge, Jared shoved Paul roughly to the side and took a protective stance in front of Leah.

"I'm just trying to help, but obviously she doesn't give two fucks. See if I try helping you again, _Leah,_" Paul sneered, glaring at Leah.

Leah stared back at Paul with a seething look upon her face.

"Lee, come on. We'll go patrol now and I'll take you to Sam's afterword," Jared said, after giving Paul a warning look.

"_I'm _going with her," I hissed.

"She's _my _partner, Jake. I don't want any more of this drama, let it go."

"Jared -"

"No, Jake. He's right. I'm gonna go with him. I don't want our most holy alpha throwing around more orders because we didn't follow his 'rules.'"

"But Leah," Seth whined. "I was suppose to go with you."

"It's okay, Seth. Jared's coming with me. Right?" Leah said, turning to Jared.

"Don't worry kid, I got this," Jared assured him.

"Fine," I huffed. "Just don't go feeling up on my girl."

Jared and Leah both rolled their eyes and I saw Paul smirking in the corner. Seth though, was scowling at Jared, at my side.

I hated that Jared and Leah were partners. I hated that he was gonna spend more time with my girlfriend than I would. All because of Sam.

I hate Sam so much right now.

"Jealous much?" Leah smirked, quirking an eyebrow.

I swear these Clearwaters are bipolar. She just went from being over-the-top-pissed, to cocky-arrogant-Leah.

"You have no idea," I muttered, nodding my head.

She laughed quietly and wrapped her arms around my waist, brushing her lips against mine. "Don't be. He has an imprint, no harm shall be done to me."

I felt calm and stable with her in my arms. All the anger evaporated from my body, making me relax. This girl did that to me. I loved it.

I nodded and kissed the top of her head, before releasing her.

"Gross," Seth whispered, gagging.

"Uhmm, are you done?" Jared asked awkwardly.

"Don't rush me, Jared," Leah smirked, winking at me. "_Now_ I'm done. Let's go."

And at that, Leah walked out the door with Jared on her tail.

"Bro, you are _so _whipped," Paul snorted, as soon as the door shut behind them.

"No, I'm not," I said in a monotone voice.

"Yes, you are," he grinned.

"_No_, I'm not."

"_YES, _YOU ARE!"

"PAUL!" I growled.

"Jake?" Seth called, quietly.

"What?" I snapped. I immediately felt guilty, his face fell and he looked away.

"Sorry Seth," I sighed. "Dumb-fuck over here is being his usual asshole self. What were you gonna say?"

He shrugged.

"Seth?" I pushed.

"Define whipped," Seth said, turning to face me with a blank face.

I wanted to laugh. At him. This was too hilarious. Who doesn't know what _whipped _means?

"In my own words?"

"In your own words," he repeated, nodding at me with a blank face.

Paul looked from me to Seth with a smug smile.

"Well whipped, is when...you really like someone and would do absolutely anything for them because you care about them so much. You just want them to be happy, you want to share every moment with them, cherishing every kiss and every hug. You just wanna hold her in your arms and stay that way forever. To protect her from anything and everything, and kill anyone that lays a finger on her. When you feel like you're floating when you kiss her. Like she's your personal high, your novacaine, your happiness, your _everything_. Whipped is when all you need is her laying in your arms to be happy and free of all thoughts. . ." I trailed off, looking off into space with a stupid grin plastered on my face. Too bad for Seth, no one makes me feel this way except his sister -

_Fuck!_

That little shit! He already _knew _what it meant! He just wanted me to admit that I was! Which I'm _not! _Am I?

I whipped my head in the direction of the two conniving bastards and scowled at their smirking faces.

"Jacob, that was easily the prissiest thing I have ever heard in my life. You are definitely whipped," Paul snorted.

"That, he is," Seth laughed, nodding his head in agreement. "LC's got you good!"

"Hey," Paul said, "none of that now. Only I can call her that, I made that nickname up."

"I can call her whatever I want," Seth shot back.

And then another argument rose.

See what I mean about the Clearwaters being bipolar? Perfect example right there.

I flipped them off without a word and walked into the living, sprawling myself on one of the couches. Maybe some T.V. will get my mind off of things. Off of Leah. Off of Jared_ and_ Leah.

_He has an imprint, dimwit._

Doesn't mean he doesn't find her attractive.

_Who _doesn't_ find her attractive?_

No one. That's my problem.

_I'm going to say this once more: He has an imprint._

I should believe my conscience. I _want_ to believe my conscience. But. . . imprint or no imprint, all the guys still think Leah is gorgeous. That's why Sam's so jealous, because he still loves her. He imprinted, but he still loves her. Jared has an imprint but still thinks Leah is pretty, which is an understatement, because Leah was beyond beautiful. But I guess her beauty is slightly dimmed in his eyes because the real beauty he sees is his Kim. Even then, before Jared ever laid his eyes on Kim, Leah was still human, and just like the rest of us, Jared saw Leah as the hottest girl in the state of Washington. But Jared has Kim, and he wont give her up. Jared has Kim, and he wont be unfaithful. Just like Sam. But still_. . . I _want be the one spending time with her. Not Sam or Jared.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm so, so, so sorry that it took so long for me to update! This is the first week of school, and I've been real busy lately. My teachers gave me a shitload of homework! Can you believe that? Well, I guess it's not _that_much, but it's still a lot. Lol. But anywho, please review and tell me what you think! =) Any advice you wanna give me?


	11. Renewing Friendships

**Chapter eleven: Renewing Friendships  
**

* * *

**Leah POV**

_Come on, Leah, _Jared thought. _It won't be _that _bad._

_Get the hell out of my head, Cameron._

_I would if I could. Seriously Leah, it'll be over before you know it. Sam's not a bad guy, he's just trying to make things right._

_Who the hell are you, Dr. Phil? Leave. Me. Alone._

Jared looked at me and inched closer to my side, nudging my shoulder with his muzzle.

_I'm just trying to make things easier for you. . ._

_Well don't, _I snapped.

_Fine, _he sighed, defeated.

Jared and I were running side by side, running the perimeter around La Push. I had already patrolled earlier today, it isn't fair that I have to do it again! Jeez, if only my leg could have _stayed _broken, I wouldn't have to patrol. But nooooooooo, I receive super genetics that make me heal fast, so my leg is as good as new. Still doesn't change the fact that this is all Sam's fault though. I don't understand why Sam keeps trying to interfere with my personal life. I was perfectly fine. Jake was perfectly fine. The pack was perfectly fine. Hell, even Emily was perfectly fine. Everyone was perfectly fine. Everyone but Sam.

I just don't get it, _he _left me. Why is he so jealous? I'm not his anymore! I can't stand the way he looks at me when I'm with Jake, he looks like a lost puppy getting shot. And as much as I hate it, it kills me to see him in pain. Even though he's put me through hell, I can't stand to see _him _in pain. I should want him to drown in misery for all the agony that he's caused me, but no, I'm a freak among freaks and _want_ him to be happy. What the hell is wrong with me? Why can't I just hate him like a normal ex-girlfriend would? Why can't I go a day without thinking about him? I mean, I like Jake, he's made me happier then ever, I've never felt so alive in my life, even Sam didn't make me feel that spark that I have when Jake touches me. But Sam. . . was my first everything and he broke my heart. Shattered it to pieces and left me there to pick them back up myself. I should hate him. I want to hate him. I want rip him to pieces just so he could feel the pain that he caused me. But. . . I can't. Even seeing his face contorted in pain makes me want to break down and cry. And I don't get it. Why do I even care? Why do I bother? He doesn't. Why should I?

_Because you're a good person, _Jared answered, looking at me with sincere eyes.

_I thought I told you to leave me the hell alone, _I growled, scooting away from him.

_Why do you hate me so much? _he asked, annoyed.

_I don't._

_Yes you do. _

_Shut up, will you? God, you're so annoying! _

_No Leah, _Jared whined. _I don't get it. We used to be good friends. What did I do to make you hate me so much? _

I didn't answer him.

It was true. Back in the day when Sam and I dated, Jared was a good friend to me. Jared is the same age as me, so when we were in high school, we had about every class together. He and I use to hang out a lot, I mean, we grew up together after all. This was before Jared was even friends with Paul and the other guys. He was cool. We talked - a lot. He was someone I could count on. I liked being around him more then my girl friends because he was always so laid-back. Jared had other guy friends too, including Sam. They talked, but they never hung out together 'cause Sam was an upper class-men. He was two years older then us. He was a junior and Jared and I were freshmen.

I met Sam through Jared - well, that's not true, I've known Sam my whole life - but we never really talked. But the moment Jared "formally" introduced us, the rest was history. Sam and I started dating and we fell in love. But just because I had a relationship with Sam didn't mean I ditched Jared. I still hung out with him whenever I wasn't with Sam. My relationship with Sam was perfect until he went missing for two weeks. I was frantic, I had no idea where he was or where he would go. Those were the most depressing 14 days of my life. And Jared was there for me through the whole thing. He was the shoulder that I cried on, he was the one to wipe my tears away. Jared and I were just friends, there was nothing romantic about our relationship. I mean, he would compliment about how attractive I was in a joking way or casually drape his arm around my shoulders. He was a guy and that's what guys did. Girls would stare at me enviously - which I thought was hilarious because Jared was just a really good friend - especially Kim, and guys would stare at Jared in loathing way. But we didn't care at all. We laughed in their faces. Jared was basically my rock.

Once Sam came back, everything went downhill from there. My relationship with Sam was different, he was different. He was distant with me, and was always very cautious with me. He barely ever spoke. And when Emily came down to visit me, that's when our relationship finally ended. I didn't sob. I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I just had tears. Lots of them. After Sam and I broke up, I stopped talking to Jared and everyone else. Jared tried talking to me of course, and was pissed off at Sam for what he had done to me, but I shunned him away like I did with everyone else. Then a few weeks later, Jared goes missing too and I find him hanging around Sam 24/7. I can't even begin to tell you how crushed I was. Jared was my friend and he pretty much hated Sam for what he did to me, yet he was following Sam around like a dog on a leash. I remember the first time I saw them together laughing, I glared at him with such hateful eyes it was a wonder how he didn't burst into flames on the spot. When he finally noticed me glaring daggers at me, he cast his eyes downward with sad eyes.

I went home that day telling myself that I didn't care about anyone anymore. If they weren't family, I didn't give a rats ass about them. Yes, that included Emily - fuck her. I completely ignored every single person in La Push that wasn't a Clearwater. Things got weird though. I noticed that Paul went missing too and found him hanging out with Sam and Jared. I heard my dad talking about how they were 'protectors' or whatever. Embry asked me about Jared and them one day and told him exactly what I heard my dad said. And then out of nowhere Embry starts hanging out with them, and Jacob joined their cult soon after. Then Quil. Of course that wasn't the end of it. My parents started going off about how Sam and his _gang _were good kids. I was pissed. Beyond furious. My body started to tremble, and the next thing I know, I'm on all fours, barking. BARKING! Can you fucking believe it? My dad clutches his heart, and I run out of the house like an idiot, and find Seth, also a wolf, shivering in fear behind one of the bushes.

The rest of the pack let us in on the secret and explained everything to us, including imprinting. Like I give a flying fuck! I phase back and run my ass to the hospital. But of course it's almost too late, my dad's heart beat is faint. I crawl up onto his bed with him, watching the one man that always stood by my side and never broke my heart, waste away. "You're the only thing left keeping him here," said a young, extraordinarily good looking teenager that stunk like hell. I ignored him and told him to get the hell out of the room. I remember just looking at my dad in misery, blaming myself for the cause of his death. If fate hadn't screwed with me, I wouldn't haven't morphed into a fucking canine and lead my father into a heart attack. I knew I wasn't always the best daughter ever, but I knew I loved him with every fiber of my body, and I knew I was causing him pain. So I said the most painful words to ever escape my lips, "you can let go now daddy." He gave me a weak smile and he was gone. Just like that. That's when everything had hit rock bottom.

_None of that was my fault, _Jared says, softly.

_I know._

_You're not mad at me? _Jared asks, shocked.

_No_, I tell him honestly.

_Why? _he asks curiously, cocking his head to the side.

We've stopped running by now. I guess when you're in such an intense moment of thought, you can't run anymore. You can't help but stop and think.

_Because none of it was your fault._

_I'm sorry, _he whispers sadly.

_I don't need your pity, _I snarl.

_I'm not giving you pity, _he says, confidently.

_Then what the hell are you doing? _

_It's called Sympathy, Leah. _Jared says cockily, it reminds me of how he use to talk to me back in the day when we use to joke around together. _I know better then to pity you, Leah._

I managed to crack a smile in my wolf form, and claw at him playfully.

_Good, _I bark. _Because I would've clawed your eyes out if you were only talking to me out of pity._

_Believe me, I know. I've witnessed you kicking the asses of the four idiots of our pack, _he laughs, but then gets serious. _But for the record, I never betrayed or intended to betray you._

_I know that. I get it, Cameron. Now shut up._

_I'm serious, Lee._

_Jared. Shut the fuck up. I get it, okay? You transformed into a giant furball, and you couldn't talk to any humans about it. I got it._

_Good, _he says mocking me triumphantly.

_Yeah, good. _I say, trying to act cool. _So are we cool now? Do we still hate each other?_

Even in his wolf form, I could see the frown forming on his face.

_Hate? _he asked, in disbelief. _I never _hated_ you, Leah._

_Oh._

_I was only quiet and barely spoke to you the whole time because I knew you wanted space. I was sympathizing, remember?_

_Yeah, _I said. _That makes sense, then_.

He smiled a wolfy grin, and let out a huff in relief.

_Thanks, Jared._

_For what?_ he asked. He didn't sound shocked like most of the guys would have, that I apologized. I appreciated that. A little gesture like that, showed that he still saw me as the old Leah that I want so badly to be.

_For giving me space. For understanding. For a lot of things, I'm not gonna go into detail 'cause I'm lazy and you can easily pick my mind and find out, but you get the point._

He nodded and nudged my muzzle with his. _You're welcome. I'm still your friend Leah._

_Yeah. And. . . now that I think about it. . . I never really hated you. . . I just missed you._

_I know. _He was laughing.

_What?! _I growled. _You just asked me a minute ago why I hated you!_

_I knew you never hated me for a long time now. I just wanted you to admit that you miss me, or hear the denial._

Fucking smart-ass. Of course he would do something like this. I thank him and he goes back to his old cocky self. This is the thanks I get for being nice for 3 seconds?

_Asshole, now I actually _do _hate you._

_C'mon Lee, lighten up._

_Shut up._

_Oh! I just remembered, we have to get to Sam's._

Fuck. I thought he would have forgotten. But of course not. Jared has a built-in calender that comes with an alarm clock implanted in his brain. Of course he wouldn't forget something like this.

_Yay, _I say sarcastically, letting the venom seep through my three letter word of useless enthusiasm before phasing back.

"I hate Sam. I hate _you _for making me do this," I say angrily.

We're nearing Sam's front porch, and each step towards the house feels like I'm drowning in sorrow. Poor me, drowning in tears of sadness. How emo do I sound? I mean, seriously.

"It was an order," Jared says, solemnly.

I roll my eyes and let out a sharp puff of air, "let's just get this shit over with."

I push the door open and am greeted by a pair of warm arms engulfing me in a hug. I immediately recognize his scent. Sam. I freeze, not wanting to go weak in the knees. This is in fact the closest we've ever been, physically. It doesn't take long for the anger and my scowl to kick in, though. I push him off roughly, sending him toppling over his own feet and sit myself on one of his ugly couches. I try to avoid Sam's gaze, because I know that if I look at him, I'll curse myself for wanting to go over to him and help him up. Jesus Christ, I hate him but I love him. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Jared takes a seat next to me, looking slightly annoyed at Sam.

Sam clears his throat and pulls a chair in front of me. "We need to talk."

"You have 10 minutes. Starting now."

He looks at me perplexed, but shrugs it off. "You can't be with Jacob."

I instantly feel the heat surge through my veins and my face flush,"The hell I can't! Since when do you tell me what I can and can't do?!"

"Since I became your alpha."

"Cheap ass."

"Leah," he sighs. "What if he imprints?"

"He won't," I say. "He's not you."

I tilt my head to look him in the eye and find him looking like he'd just been slapped in the face. I'm surprised that I don't feel as compelled as I thought I would, to soothe him. It's there, but it's faint. I smile at that.

"You don't know if it will happen or not, Leah."

"Sam," I say, mimicking his tone. "He is the true alpha, I know for a fact that he's not going to imprint. Something in my mind tells me that he's being honest when he says he won't, and I believe him. He won't go weak in the knees over someone he barely knows because I doubt that the heir of Ephriam Black is gonna wanna pass down genes to a total stranger. I'm serious about what I say Sam, he's not you."

I was surprised with myself. I didn't even mean for what I had just said to slip out, and what surprised me even more was how confidently I said everything. It's not like I regret it though, having it slip from my mouth actually felt good. And my words actually sounded true. Well, it was convincing enough to get myself to believe it. I _have _been hearing a nagging voice telling me that Jacob was the one - which is incredibly uncomfortable and scary but comforting all the same. I mean aside from the fact that he makes me feel completely perfect and whole and when I'm not with him, I feel incomplete. It just doesn't make any sense. I shouldn't even be feeling this good about our "relationship" because it's way too soon. Seriously, I _just_ got with him, I can't just be an ignorant optimistic love-struck teenager, because we just started dating. And to think I almost slept with him _this_ early on in our relationship is horrifying! I don't wanna be seem _easy._

"You know nothing, Leah," Sam said coldly. His eyes were like black ice, staring right through me, piercing through my bitter facade. But I wasn't going to have any of it. Hell no. Not when I just had an epiphany and spoke words that I didn't intentionally mean to.

Jared folded his arms tightly across his chest but kept his gaze on the ground. I could tell he was pissed. Back in the day Jared never liked it when guys mistreated me, he was always there to tell them off. But since Sam's the Alpha-McAlphanator, he can't do anything.

I stood up abruptly and stared right back at him, making him cower back in disbelief. To him, me glaring back at him in the eye was defiance. Ha! As if I'll ever give a flying fart in space what he thought.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"Away from you," I snapped.

"You have to stay, your mom wants you to spend some quality time with Emily," he said, sounding almost amused.

"You know, Paul made up a _very _good point today. _Since when the fuck do I listen to what anyone says?_" With that I stormed off towards his front door, with Jared trailing behind me.

"Your father would have agreed with everything I've said to you," he said. "What would your father think, Leah?"

And then he won. Just like that. He brought up my dad - my biggest weakness - into the situation. It was a low blow, but that was Sam. He always had to find ways to hurt me.

My knee's locked, and my feet stayed planted on the ground. I couldn't move. My back was facing towards him.

What _would_ my father think? Would he support me with my decisions? Or is Sam right, would he have sided with him?

"He'd be very disappointed in you, Leah. Do you think he'd be happy with the way you're treating your mom?"

Would my dad be disappointed that I lash out at mom and Charlie because I'm hurt over the two of them shacking up? Would he be angry with the way I feel toward Sam and Emily?

Sam just didn't know when to stop. He just kept going.

This was by far the lowest, most cruel thing, Sam has ever done. Even the guys don't go as far as talking about daddy. They all looked up to him, he was an elder. And how could Sam bring him up in a time like this? Daddy treated Sam like his son! How can -

"And -"

"Stop it, man." Jared said in a cold tone. "This conversation is over. You can tell Sue that Leah won't be coming over every night. We're leaving."

I felt warm tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn't even care if the two saw them, I couldn't help it. My dad. Sam brought up daddy. How could he?

Jared wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, and then I suddenly felt guilty. Jared hasn't stopped being my friend even through my bitchiness. I miss having a friend holding me while I cried. I'm tired of being the one that everyone loathes I can't believe how much I've changed because of the jackass that used to be my _boyfriend_.

"Jared," Sam growled. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

"Haven't you done enough damage, Sam?" Jared said, mirroring Sam's growl.

At that, Sam's face softened. Like a lighting bolt struck him, he looked from Jared to me and frowned as realization dawned on him.

"Leah -"

"You brought him up, Sam. You're guilt-tripping me by using my _father. _That is by far the lowest thing you could do." And then I walked out.

I waited for Jared by on the gravel road not too far from Sam's house. Although I was out of the house, I still heard Jared's and Sam's last words to each other.

"That was a low blow. That hurt me too, Sam. Remember, Harry took care of us once. My dad past away and he helped me back up, along with Billy."

I heard Sam sigh and speak in a strained voice, "I didn't mean to, I swear. It just slipped out. I just - I don't want her to get hurt again. . . . I still love her."

"I know, that. We _all_ know that. But let it go, will you? For the sake of our pack Sam, let it go. You're our alpha, make the right decisions. And Leah's my friend, don't think I'm going to watch from the sidelines any longer as you put her through any more pain. I can't take it anymore, Sam. Neither can the other guys. Even _Paul _wanted to strangle you today for what you did to Leah."

"You think I don't know that I hurt her?" Sam asked angrily. "I hate that _I'm _the reason that she's in so much pain. I can't fight the imprint, Jared. You of all people should know that! It wasn't my choice. I never would have left Leah. And since when did _you _and Leah become friends?"

"If I remember clearly - which I do, by the way -_ I_ introduced you two. You practically begged me to introduce you to Leah because we're such good friends. You should know this Sam, you ordered me not to tell any of my friends what was going on with me. Back to our main issue - I understand. Quil understands. Hell, we all understand. But it's all on you. Leah's moving on and you can't seem to accept that. You're still holding onto her. You have Emily, bro. You can't have the both of them. Jacob belongs with her, and she belongs with Jacob. You can't hold onto her forever, man."

Wow, I never thought Jared would say those things to Sam's face. I can't believe I went so long ignoring him and bitching at him. And I can't believe Sam ordered Jared not to tell anyone!

"Don't you_ get_ it? What if he imprints?!" Sam snarled. "He's going to hurt her even more than I did!"

"No, _you _don't get it. Did you not see the way they looked at each other today? Don't tell me you didn't see how they were practically super-glued together or felt the magnetic waves emanating off of their bodies. Paul said they were perfect for each other. And at first, I thought he was joking. I thought it was bogus! But, now I see that he was being serious, and he's right. Just look at from another perspective, Sam, it's like they were made for each other. . . Maybe - maybe Leah's theory is right. Maybe Jacob won't imprint because he's Ephriam's heir. If I were the alpha, I wouldn't want to imprint, and I'm one-hundred percent confident that Jacob does not want to imprint."

"ENOUGH JARED!" there he goes with the alpha command again. "You know NOTHING."

That's rich, coming from someone with a brain the size of a raisin. He knows perfectly well that Jared is the brains of the pack. Hell, even the fucking leeches know more about us then Sam does!

"Just think about it, Sam. Don't hurt her anymore," Jared said in barely a whisper. But of course I heard him with my super-wolf hearing.

Jared slumped out of the house looking annoyed but defeated.

"Don't stress yourself Jare, let's go visit Billy." I used my old nick name that I use to call him back then for a reason. I wanted to see him smile.

I don't want to be the reason why the pack is stressed. Yes, I'm a bitch and I enjoy it. But I haven't lost _all_ of my humanity that I want every single one of the boys to drown in my problems. I mean, I did, at one point, and yes, it felt good to have them feel my anxiety. But, I'm over that now. I'm tired of sharing old painful memories with them. I'd rather lash out and bitch, it's more effective. Jared's my friend though, and he just got the command put on him for my stupid problems. He tried to stand up for me. So I'm going to be nice to him for a change because he's never stopped being there for me. I never should have stopped being there for him in the first place anyway. Sam shouldn't have that affect on me, he's just some stupid guy. Jared's my friend and I'll be there for him like he was for me just mere seconds ago.

"You called me Jare," he smiled.

"Only because you look like you're gonna have an anxiety attack, _and_ I wanted to get a reaction out of you," I said.

Okay, so I won't be too nice. I'm not fucking Tinkerbell. That's just not me. I'll be nice to him, but sarcastic. Hey, I can't loose the bitch-fever, it runs in the genes!

"Always such a lady," he teased. "Yeah, we should probably check on the old man, he wasn't looking to hot at the bon fire."

"Yeah, I miss him." It's true. The last time I saw Billy was at the bon fire, and I barely even acknowledged him. It's about time I went over to see how he was doing. I feel guilty for not doing it a long time ago, knowing he was sick and all. I wonder if he's gotten worse?

I shook my head, not wanting to know if his fever has gotten worse or not. He looked just as horrible at the bon fire as he did when I last visited him but the fact that even Jared is concerned is enough to want me to rush him into the nearest emergency room.

"You okay there?" Jared asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Mhm, just thinking. . . what you said to Sam, about me and Jake. . . thanks. . ."

He laughed, "It's cool. Of course you'd do the same for me and Kim."

I snorted. He stopped dead in his tracks.

We stared at each other for a long time, giving each other weird looks.

Then out of nowhere we both burst out laughing. We were laughing so hard, we fell to the ground clutching our sides.

"Y-Y-Your. . . f-face!" Jared had managed to say in between his laughter.

"N-NO! Y-Your. . . f-face!" I laughed, banging the ground with my fists.

And then we were teenagers again, laughing at stupid shit. This is exactly how we use to laugh back in the day; like there was no tomorrow. And it felt good to relive memories like this.

I closed my eyes and thought about calm things. Like the ocean. Okay, bad idea, the ocean is anything but calm. They have, like, hurricanes and typhoons and tsunamis. I snapped my eyes open and stared at the ground, holding my breath. My laughing fit finally ceased and I looked back and noticed Jared standing before me with a huge smirk on his face. He held out a hand out for me, I took it and pulled myself up roughly just so he could fall down in the process.

"Hey!" he complained. "What was that for? I was trying to help you up!"

"That's for making me laugh."

"Is it a crime to make your friend laugh?" he asked. "Help me up!"

I looked at his out-stretched hand and back towards him. "Nah."

I walked away, knowing he'd have to get up himself sooner or later. He snorted, jumped up and ran after me.

"So you heard everything, huh?" he asked.

"Yup," I said, popping the 'p'.

"'You're not mad are you?" he asked, warily.

"Uhm, no?" I said, except it came out more like a question. "Should I be?"

"No, you shouldn't."

"Then I'm not mad."

"Just like that?" he asked. "You're not even mad at Sam?"

"He brought up my dad," I growled.

He nodded, but said nothing.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's not a bad guy, Lee. He's just confused," he said seriously. "I feel bad for him."

"Is this pity or sympathy?"

"Pity," he answered with a smile.

"I thought you didn't pity people," I accused.

"I don't pity _you. _You'd do something savage like tear off my pride and joy, if I pitied you," he laughed. I laughed too.

Seriously. Jared hasn't changed a bit. Even with the imprinting. I mean, sure, he worships the ground Kim walks on, kisses her feet, wipes her ass, and will jump into shark-infested waters for her, but he's still cocky-ole' Jared. Pride and joy? Come _on_!

"Then why pity Sam?"

"Well firstly, he's not you. He's a guy and won't go anywhere near my package. Secondly, he doesn't deserve sympathy. He's bringing a lot of these issues on himself. A lot of this mess is his fault. He caused it and he should fix it. The right way."

"Oh."

"Not satisfied with my answer, Clearwater?" he teased, ruffling my hair.

"Hey jackass! I don't go around messing with your bird-nest fro, leave my 'do alone!"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh right." I scoffed. "You gave a pretty good argument, but I wouldn't have minded if you knocked his teeth out."

He laughed, and I grinned.

"Well, here we are," he said, knocking on the Black's front door.

The door creaked open to show a pale, sickly, fragile-looking Billy Black with dark circles under his eyes.

I felt tears well up in my eyes for the second time today. I've never felt so guilty in my life before. All this time, I knew he was sick - I should have been here taking care of him. I can't loose my second-father. Not yet, not ever. I've already lost my real dad, I can't lose his best friend either.

"Billy," I choked. "Why didn't you call me? You promised you would!"

"I'm fine, sweetheart," he said weakly.

"Billy," Jared said, his voice full of concern. "We're taking you to the hospital. Now."

"Well," Billy heaved. "No use in fighting two 19-year old shape-shifters."

"Jared?" I called.

"Yeah?"

"Can you call Jake and tell him to meet us in Forks. Tell Seth and Paul too, none of them are allowed alone. Tell them to meet us at the hospital."

"Sure," he said, pulling out his phone.

I walked around Billy's wheelchair and wheeled him out of the house and into his truck.

"You're gonna give me an anxiety attack one of these days, old man," I sighed.

"You worry too much, hon," he chuckled. "You're almost as bad as your mom."

"Yeah, well lets not worry about me right now," I said sternly. "We needa get you fixed up."

"As you wish, my little wolverine."

I snorted, and waited in the passengers seat. Jared came out of the house with the car keys and jumped in the drivers seat.

"Did you call?" I asked.

"They're on their way," he smiled.

I blew out a sigh of relief and relaxed.

There's only one doctor I want Billy to see. Carlisle Cullen. He's had the most experience, and has the most control. He isn't stupid enough to break the treaty and bite an elder, _and _he's in on the secret. With him as the doctor, he'll let in all the wolves into the room. And that's just what we all need. That's what Billy needs. La Push can't loose another elder, not yet. Please, God, don't let it happen.

* * *

**Author's Note: **REVIEW! I hope you all liked the chapter! I noticed that there aren't a lot of fanfics where Jared is mentioned, and I like Jared's character. I want each pack member to have some sort of past with Leah, and with Jared the laid-back peace-maker, I had to make him the guy that use to be good friends with Leah. And for those who wondered about Paul, don't worry. He'll be back, and so will the rest of the guys. I'm gonna try to add in all of the guys 'cos they're all good to me, and you can't have a strong pack if you don't know nothing about each other. =)

So, I'm sorry it took long, but I just don't have time to write during the weekdays. So instead of checking if I've updated everyday, just wait 'till friday or saturday, because there will be a new chapter up by then. But please review and tell me what you think! =) thanks!


	12. Jared's Theory

Chapter Twelve: Jared's Theory

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**Jacob's POV**

"You there, prince charming?" Paul asked, waving a hand in my face.

I decided to ignore him just to piss him off. I continued to stare openly at the kitchen counter.

"Jake?" This time it was Seth's hand that was trying to catch my attention.

Should I ignore the kid too, or should I answer him? Nah, I'll stick with ignoring him. I mean, he _did_ humiliate me by getting me to explain what it meant to be whipped. Yes, I'll ignore the conniving two-timer.

"Whoa," Paul said in amazement. "He's ignoring you too!"

"Jake?" Seth tried again, hurt obvious in his voice.

Great, I just hurt his feelings.

"I'm listening Seth," I said in a blank voice.

I tore my eyes off the kitchen counter to face him. And of course, his once saddened face, was now replaced with his signature toothy grinned face. I rolled my eyes at him.

"For a minute there, I actually thought you were mad at me," he laughed.

I managed to crack a smile because no matter how stupid the kid sounded, he was still an innocent soul.

"Imagine that," I smirked.

"Hey, that's not fair," Paul stated.

"What isn't?" I asked.

"You're not mad at him, but you're pissed at me? I didn't do anything."

"Paul, you don't care if I'm mad at you or not."

"True dat." He grinned cockily.

"I hate you."

"You love me," he winked.

"Asshole."

Paul opened his mouth to make a comeback, but was cut off by my phone.

"It's Jared," Seth said, tossing my phone over to me.

I glared at the screen. What the hell does Jared want? Does he want to flaunt that he gets to hang out with my girl more than me? Fucking prick.

"Aren't you gonna answer it?" Paul asked.

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p.'

"What if it's something important?" Seth asked worriedly.

Damnit. Why does he always have to open his mouth?

_Another ring._

I was more then tempted to pick up the phone now. What if Leah really was in trouble? I mean, I wouldn't care if Jared was getting his ass handed to him by a leech, but what if it's Leah?

Answer or don't answer?

Ah, fuck it.

"Hello?" I answered angrily.

"JACOB!" Jared roared. "What the fuck took you so long?"

"Sorry, I was in the middle of wiping my ass." Paul laughed at my response and nearly fell off his stool. Seth, on the other hand, wasn't impressed. He looked worried.

_You would be too if there was a chance your _sister_ might be in trouble._

I immediately felt bad and decided to act mature for Seth's sake.

"Just shut up and listen, dipshit!" Jared snarled.

"What do you want, Jared?" I snapped.

"We're going to the hospital."

My heart dropped. _That_ got my attention. From the corner of my eye I saw Paul immediately stop laughing, and make his way over to me. Seth's body was tense, his eyes narrowed at the phone placed against my ear. Oh, yeah, he's pissed.

"Why, is Leah okay?" I asked frantically.

"No, no, Leah's fine. It's your dad."

My dad. That was like a blow to the chest. I haven't seen him in a while. Why haven't I thought about him? I knew he was sick. What kind of son am I? I'm supposed to be a protector of La Push, and I can't even manage to take care of the man thats raised me since I was a kid. The man I live under the safe roof as me?

"Is he okay?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from cracking.

My head was turned away from Seth and Paul. I didn't want them to see my face in case tears started to spill.

"I don't know Jake, he just looks weak," he sighed. "Look, Leah and I will explain everything to you when you get here, but I have to go now. Bring Paul and Seth with you. We'll meet you at the hospital. I gotta go now, bye."

Dial tone.

"Let's go," Seth ordered.

I whipped my head around to Seth and saw that he had a determined look on his face.

"Yeah. The sooner the better. C'mon man," Paul agreed, giving me a light push towards the door.

I nodded in agreement, and proceeded out the door.

Once we hit the forest, we were phased and running at full speed. The only thing in our minds was to get to the hospital as fast as we could. It was a quiet run, and I was thankful that neither Paul or Seth had said anything to me.

I looked into Seth's head and saw that the reason for his anticipation was that he didn't want to lose another 'father.' My dad was just as much of a dad to him and Leah as well. The Clearwaters DID grow up with us, so of course. And not to mention that Harry and dad were the best of friends. Brother's actually. Seth was too occupied in his thoughts to even notice that I was listening to him. He didn't want to lose dad either. He's already lost Harry, he can't lost Billy either.

I decided I've had enough of Seth's thoughts, so I figured I'd stray into Pauls. I was surprised, to say the least, that his thoughts was almost identical to Seth's. Paul's thoughts, had sort of a twist to it that made it different on a whole new level. Paul still has his dad. Except his dad is a drunk that couldn't care less about what happens to him. Harry played the father figure to the tribal kids that had no 'dad' to turn to. Paul basically didn't have a dad, so I guess you could say that Harry sort of raised him. Along with Embry and Sam, too. I looked deeper into his thoughts and saw what was truly bothering him. After Harry died, he turned to Billy, as did Sam and Embry, because dad shared the same desires as Harry. Paul doesn't want Billy to die because if he's gone, then he truly won't have a father to look up to.

I left their minds, but still couldn't ignore the fact that we all shared the same fears. We didn't want to lose our dad. I guess this is real proof that we're a pack. A _family_. Harry Clearwater's death was hard on La Push, but was even harder on the pack. If dad doesn't make it, then what are we gonna do? What's the tribe gonna do? I know that once he passes, I'm gonna have to take over. But I'm not even ready to handle the thought of becoming the alpha of the pack. How the hell am I supposed to run the tribe?

_He's gonna make it, _Seth said, trying to sound positive.

_Yeah. Billy's tough, he'll get through this, _Paul agreed. Although it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than us.

_We'll make sure he makes it, _I said.

* * *

We busted through the emergency room earning a lot of surprised faces.

"We're looking for Billy Black," I said to the nurse at the front desk.

"You're going to have to fill out these papers first, sir," the woman said, not even lifting her eyes from the computer screen.

"My dads, in there right now! I don't have time to fill out these damn papers," I growled.

"I'm sorry, but those are the rules. Every visitor has to sign these forms," she said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Did you not hear him? Our DAD is in there, what would you do if your dad was in there and we were telling _you_ to fill out fucking permission slips?" Seth said, pounding his fists onto the counter.

By now, every single visitor in the waiting room was eyeing the three of us nervously.

The bitch of a nurse finally decided to take her eyes off the computer screen and look at us. She eyed us each skeptically and pushed the clipboard of papers towards us.

Paul snatched the clipboard and threw it violently across the room, "Listen lady, we'll sign that shit once we're done. Just tell us where Billy Black is."

"Rules are rules," she stated simply, and went back to her computer.

Paul started to shake. His eyes were locked on the fragile nurse typing away on the keyboard. I looked to my other side and saw that Seth was shaking as well.

_This is not good._

Ya think? I gripped their wrists, and told them to calm down. And then they did. They both stopped shaking. Just like that. I let go of their wrists surprised that they had managed to calm down that quick. That's when, of course, I smelled it. Vampire. Seth and Paul caught the scent too, and whipped their heads up into the direction it was coming from.

Jasper Cullen, or Hale, whatever the fuck his last name is. The one with the scars. My eyes narrowed at him. The hell is he doing here? He's the one with the least control, he could kill every single one of these humans if he's thirsty enough. He nodded in acknowledgement at us and walked over warily.

"Sorry to interrupt you ma'am, but my father has given them permission to enter Mr. Black's room," the leech said in his oh-so charming voice.

The woman looked up from her screen to meet with his eyes and flushed. She turned beat red, and started to rambling all sorts of apologies. The leech paid no attention to her 'sorries' or 'I had no idea's,' but rather at her flushed cheeks. He was thirsty.

"Thanks,_ Jasper_," I growled. "You look _thirsty._ Maybe we should go back and ask your dad if you could get something to_ drink._"

That seemed to get him out of his trance 'cause his eyes instantly turned back to its stupid topaz color. "Yeah, we should probably go. Your father is waiting for you all."

The nurse stood up from her seat and faced Paul, Seth, and I.

"Sorry boys, I had no idea that Dr. Cullen had requested to give you permission to enter freely," she said, faking a sugary sweet voice.

Jasper rolled his eyes at her and started walking back to the room.

"Fuck off and go back to your computer, hag," Paul snarled at her. I grinned at him and bumped my fist with his.

The nurse scowled at him and scolded him,"You watch your language, young man!"

"I'll watch my language once you invest in a breath mint," Paul retorted, following after Jasper.

The nurse side-glanced at Jasper and whipped her head back at us.

"You have no idea how _way _out of his league you are, not to mention the MAJOR age difference," Seth said, shaking his head in amusement.

I laughed and we quickly followed after Paul and Jasper. I knew what Seth had meant, but it was hilarious how it sounded horrible to a human. The MAJOR age difference was about Jasper of course, because he was like, a billion years old. If the lady hadn't given us such a hard time, I would've felt bad for her. But since she _did _give us a hard time, I enjoyed her embarrassment. It's not like Jasper would ever consider dating her anyway, it'd be physically, mentally, and supernaturally wrong.

"He's in there," Jasper said, nodding his head to the door.

"You're not coming in?" Seth asked, curiously.

"I will. I'm waiting for Alice," he answered politely.

The three of us stepped inside the room and paled. There, lying on the bed, looking almost as pale as a vampire was my dad. His hair was greasy from lack of showering, and the circles under his eyes were literally purple. He looked like he had been punched in the eye.

"Dad," I choked. "I'm sorry."

"Don't get all teary-eyed son, I'm gonna be okay," he said.

I saw Leah on the couch curled in a ball next to Jared, both fast asleep. Any other time, I would've lost my mind at the sight of them together, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. This was my chance to help my father get back up.

"Why didn't you call me?" I asked, taking a seat at the edge of his bed.

"I didn't need help," he said casually.

"Yes you do."

"I can manage," he chuckled weakly.

I rolled my eyes, "We're gonna get you outta here a healthy old man."

He smiled, "Leah said the same thing."

"You're lucky she and Jared visited you today," I said sternly. It felt weird, scolding someone older then me, but it came naturally to me.

"How are things between you two? You make your move yet?" he asked, glancing at Leah's sleeping figure.

"Yeah," I sighed happily. "She's mine now."

Seth and Paul sat down near the windows, and stared at Billy with sad eyes, totally ignoring the conversation that was going on.

"You treat her right Jake, don't hurt her. You make her happy - stop staring at me like I'm about to die, you two!"

Seth and Paul immediately looked away in embarrassment, and moved their focus on Jared and Leah.

"Really?" I asked, happily. "How can you tell?"

"Her eyes shine with happiness and she has that youthful glow," he said, looking at her with loving eyes.

"She also rekindled her relationship with Jared," he added, smiling brightly.

"Relationship? What are you talking about?" I asked, standing up and glaring at Jared.

"Easy, son. Don't you remember when Leah use to hang around Jared all the time? They were inseparable, those two. They just rekindled their friendship. Don't mess it up."

"But -"

"No buts," he said sternly. "If you get to be friends with Bella, Leah has the right to hang around Jared all she wants."

"You're right," I sighed. "But it doesn't mean I like it."

"Well its not like any of _us_ like your friendship with the leech lover, so deal with it. They've been friends longer than you and Bella have," Paul said angrily.

"He's right Jake, other than my family, Jared was always there for her back in the day," Seth said quietly.

"Their friendship won't ruin your relationship with her," dad said as I sat back down. "Trust me, son."

I nodded and snapped my head in the direction of the door as two light knocks echoed in my ears, followed by a ghastly smell.

"Come in," Billy said.

Of course he would be the one to treat my father. How can Jared and Leah be okay with a leech treating my dad?! I don't care how much self control this blood-sucking, blonde, parasite has, he's still a vampire. He's still the enemy.

"Mr. Black, I've run quite a few tests and they all seem to look fine. You're healthy, but. . ." the leech seemed to hesitate, what with three shape-shifters staring at him.

"But?" I pushed.

"You're hiding something very important from me and whatever it is you're hiding is what's ruining your physical appearance," the leech said.

"Hiding something? What are you talking about leech?" I asked.

"All of his internal organs are fine. Nothing wrong with his blood, no signs of a fever, everything about him is perfectly fine. But, circles under the eyes that dark don't just appear out of no where."

The leech was right. And if my dad really was healthy, then I can't also help but wonder how one earth he had gotten so pale and thin. And those purple circles, how did those happen?

"Lack of sleep," my dad said casually.

"He's lying," a cool voice said.

Jasper and his midget of a wife walked into the room and stood beside their 'father'.

"Is this why you brought him here? To see if my dad was lying or not?" I asked in disbelief. I would never say it out loud but for once I was glad to have the emo-leech here.

Carlisle looked at me with guilty eyes and nodded. "I know it was out of the question for me to do such a thing, but forgive me, I was not thinking straight at the time, and I had to find out what was going on with his physical appearance if everything internally was fine."

It was hard to hate the doctor. He seemed more human than the rest of his coven. He actually showed emotion. Jasper only felt emotions, he didn't actually show them. Carlisle, on the other hand, was sympathetic. Even during the newborn army war, he gave one of the leeches a chance to live, he offered the mini-leech another chance. Everyone thought he was insane, including me. I just can't fathom how he can show so much sincerity through the roughest things. It's unreal. Humans aren't even that generous. Actually, now that I think about it, humans are greedy and just want things to satisfy their selves. They're selfish. I guess if Carlisle was a human, he'd be the purest of the pure, because he wouldn't hurt a fly. I mean, he'll attack a deer or two and drain them of their blood, but he wouldn't actually do that if he wasn't a vampire. I should probably trust Carlisle, he _did_ treat my wounds after the newborn battle. And he did one hell of a job too. Besides, he can't bite my dad, that'd be breaking the treaty. Carlisle is too much of a good person to do that. I should probably stop thinking about how much of a 'good guy' Carlisle is, I'm starting to sound like I'm going gay for him.

Ewww. Bad image, bad image, bad image!

I saw Jasper's cheek lift up into a smile and glance at me.

"It's okay, doc. I don't care what you do, I just want him to get better," I said, sincerely.

"Yeah, just don't drain him of his blood while you're at it," Paul retorted, making his way over to the other side of dad's bed.

"I assure you, I would never do such a thing," Carlisle said.

"Says the leech," Paul snorted.

Seth elbowed Paul in the rib and smiled at Carlisle, "We appreciate your help, thanks, doctor Cullen."

"You're welcome, and please, call me Carlisle," he said, returning his smile.

"Will do, doc."

"Mr. Black, we can't give you any pain medication if we don't have a reason to," Carlisle said.

Dad sighed, "Wake Leah and Jared up then I'll tell you."

Paul walked over to the two and shook them awake. Both Leah's and Jared's eyes were red and they were walking incredibly slow. I wonder what they did while they were out doing God knows what to be as tired as they are.

"What is it, old man?" Jared asked. His voice was thick with sleep.

"Those vampires you're after," dad said. "They came to visit me."

5 ferocious growls filled the room.

"They're still here?" Carlisle asked in disbelief.

"Why haven't I seen them?" Alice asked in frustration.

"When?" I asked, furiously.

"The night after the bonfire."

"What happened?" Paul growled.

"The one with the blue -"

"Jayden," Leah interrupted. "My bad. Go on."

"Yes, him. He wanted information on what the pack was planning, and about you," he said, nodding his head to Leah.

"And?" Jared pushed.

"I didn't tell him a thing."

"That doesn't explain your bruises," Leah said sadly.

"BRUISES?!" Paul, Seth, and I hissed at the same time.

"Yes it does," Jared said.

"What do you mean?" Seth asked him.

"They hurt him. Tortured him because he wouldn't talk," Jared growled.

Alice's hand flew over her mouth as she gasped.

Leah was gaping at Jared, who was shaking. Paul grabbed Leah's wrist and pulled her away from his shaking frame.

"Jared, calm down!" Billy ordered.

I looked at Jasper, who was looking at me like he was waiting for permission. I nodded at him, because I knew what he was asking. Soon enough, I felt the calm wash over me.

Jared's eyes locked with Billy's and very slowly calmed. "Sorry."

"It's fine son. But you're right, they did torture me, and man are they creative." The old man tried lighten the mood by joking about being tortured. Was he insane?

I glanced over at Leah, her eyes dark with fury. She was on the verge of tears, I could tell. Her bottom lip was barely trembling, but I could see it. And apparently, so could Paul. The stupid bastard was staring worriedly at her and engulfed her in his arms. She didn't push him away, actually, she hugged him back. I knew the only reason she was letting him hold her like this was because she didn't want anyone to see her if she let a tear slip out. So I wasn't mad. Jealous, yeah. But, not mad. Besides, I know Paul - all of us, actually - doesn't like when Leah's upset. He's doing it to comfort her, to feel up on her, and to make me jealous all at the same time. Actually, yeah, maybe I am a little bit mad. Remind me to snap his jaw later.

"What did they do?" Paul asked, loosening his grip on Leah.

_Good move, Paul. Press her any tighter to you and I'm ripping your balls off._

"Not much," Billy said, sheepishly.

"Not much?" We all repeated in disbelief.

"Billy are you serious?! C'mon, is it really that hard to tell us what happened?" Leah really was trying her hardest to choke back her sobs, and she was doing a pretty damn good job at it. She had released herself from Paul's arms and was hovering over my dad now.

"The bruises on my legs. They're there because they knew that my legs are paralyzed. It didn't hurt."

"They aimed for your legs?" Paul growled. This time he was the one who was shaking, and Jared was the one to pull Leah away.

Nope. No way. Not again. Fuck that.

I walked around the bed and grabbed Leah's hand, bringing her around the other side of the bed with me. I stood behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my chin on her shoulder. I felt her tense body immediately relax, and I inwardly grinned. I can't even explain the feeling of having her in my arms again. Holding her, is like a breath of fresh air. I hadn't even noticed that my arms were snaking their way around her waist. It's like, once my skin touches hers, we're magnetically pulled together. If one of us tries to pull away, it just leaves an empty feeling.

I gave Paul and Jared a look that said 'ha-ha, she's mine and not yours!'

Jared rolled his eyes and grinned at Leah. Paul, however, was smirking at me, throwing a wink in the process.

"Paul's a prick, can't he understand that you're _my _girlfriend?" I whispered into her ear. Everyone - with the exception of my dad - however, heard.

She chuckled lightly and traced circles on my hands.

"Yes," Billy said, grinning at me and Leah. "They aimed for my legs."

"But how are you alive? A vampire can crush a human easily. If they were physically hurting you, and really meaning to hurt you, you'd be dead."

Jared was smart. Really smart. I never even thought of that. And from the looks of it, neither did the other guys. The vampires seemed to be wondering the same thing. I guess I can understand why Leah's friends with him. She's always been a genius and so has Jared. And beside her usual jabs at Embry's parentage, she's not so bad with Embry. Not as bad as she is with me, Paul, Quil, and Sam, at least. Because Embry is also a thinker. Put the three together and you've got yourself a dynamic geek squad. Her brain is like the polar opposite of mine. We balance each other out though. In my defense, I'm not an _actual_ dumbass, I just act like one. She's still smarter than me by a mile, but it just works for us. She's the brains of the relationship, she makes the decisions. And I'm the leader? Yeah, I guess. The brawn's. I do the physical, protecting stuff. The usual. No big deal.

"They said a lot of stuff to me that you're all gonna want to know so I suggest you call up the rest of the boys down here if you wanna hear my story."

"How do you explain the weight loss?" Paul asked. "You look like you've been locked in a room for days without food."

"I don't think they intended to kill me," dad said. "It would've made things too obvious."

"Yeah, and to send us a message," Jared said solemnly.

"A message?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, that the game has started."

"We already know that, he told us that a while ago," Paul said.

"You're not getting it," Jared sighed.

"I think I do," Seth said. "Do you remember when Jayden said he wasn't gonna play fair? Maybe that's what he's trying to tell us."

Jared nodded, "yeah, that's what I was trying to say."

"That makes sense," Leah concluded.

"He's gonna do whatever it takes to get to you Lee," Jared said quietly. "I think that paper that Seth found is just a clue, I think they left it there on purpose. If they_ did_ do it on purpose, then it confirms my theory and what they wrote on that piece of paper. They will stop at nothing and will take advantage of _anything_ to win the game."

"Do you mind letting us in on what's going on?" Carlisle asked politely.

"Jared, can you call up the rest of the pack? We're gonna need them. This takes things to a whole new level," I said. Jared nodded and stepped outside the room. "We'll inform you once the rest of the pack arrives."

"Do you mind if we call our family down here as well?" Carlisle asked hesitantly.

"No, that would be a good idea, actually. That way we won't have to keep repeating ourselves. It's better if everyones here today to get things straightened out."

The three vampires nodded and made way for the door.

"Jacob?" Carlisle called.

"'Sup doc?"

"Since everything internally is fine, and the bruising and skin impalement as such was caused by physical brutality, your father is going to be fine. His bruises will heal, and his skin discoloration should be back to normal soon. He's only paled because of the shock, he'll be up and ready to go soon."

And with that, the doctor excused himself from the room to join his 'kids.'

"So, you two are a thing now, eh?" dad asked, grinning.

"Mind your own business, old man," Leah teased. I saw Seth smiling at his sister happily. I swear, the kid loves his sister so much, he would literally sacrifice himself just to see her smile.

"Yep," I said a little too excited. Paul snorted, and rolled his eyes at me. I flipped him off, earning a wink from him. I vow that one of these days, I will gonna apply superglue to the bottom of his eyelids so that the next time he winks at me, his eye will be permanently glued shut.

"I'm happy for you two," he said sincerely.

Leah smiled at him and spoke, "well since we know that you're going to be okay, I guess I'm free to yell at you now."

"Well, that's my cue to leave," Paul said, making a bee line for the door.

"Right behind you," Seth mimicked, quickly following behind.

As Paul and Seth made their way out the door, Jared made his way in.

"They're on their way here," Jared informed us.

"All of them?" Leah asked.

"All of them," he confirmed, grinning.

Leah returned his grin and wrapped an arm around my waist. I took the opportunity to drape my arm around her shoulders, and pull her closer.

"Now we wait," Billy said from the bed.

"And now we wait," Jared agreed, leaning against the wall.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know I said I'd update every friday or saturday but I've been occupied with stuff. It's sort of personal, kinda. Like, boy problems. Except its not really a problem, it's more like something...exciting? Yeah, that's it. Forgive me guys, it's midnight and I spent all day writting up this chapter and I haven't even started my homework! Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter. Of course I wasn't gonna let Billy die. C'mon, I can't do that to the wolves or Jacob. =) I know you all wanted some Jake/Leah moments, but I can't really have the two have a hot makeout session in front of Billy in the emergency room. Lol, that'd be funny though. Anyway, please review!


	13. He's still not over her

Chapter Thirteen: He's still not over her

* * *

**Seth's POV**

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm being over-dramatic. But there's this nagging feeling that keeps popping into my head saying that Billy is hiding something very important from us. I don't know, I have no idea what to think. I mean, he did say he was going to tell us everything once the entire pack arrives, so I shouldn't have to worry. Right? I should be optimistic, I shouldn't be thinking about the negative outcomes. Jake would be disappointed, Leah would be disappointed, hell, Billy will be disappointed.

He isn't sick. Carlisle said everything internally is perfectly fine. The damage on the outside surface of his skin was caused by brutal beatings from Jayden and his sidekick. If we've figured out that the damage was caused by the vampires and not a virus, then why the fuck am I still stressing over it? What the hell is he hiding from us? Is he actually hiding anything from us or am I just being paranoid? Why the hell can't I calm down?

"Dude, what the hell is your problem?" Paul asked, looking at me with an annoyed expression.

"Nothing."

"Good. Then I'll tell you mine," he said casually. "I don't think Billy's telling the truth."

I spun around to face him. We've already left Billy's room to escape Leah's wrath, so now we're making our way to the waiting room.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, truly curious of his accusations.

"That came out wrong. What I meant was, I don't think he gave us the full details. . ." he shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I think he's hiding something from us."

So that makes two of us.

"You too, huh?" I asked, leaning back in my seat.

"You don't buy it, either?" he asked, slouching in his seat.

I nodded. "I think he's hiding something from us. . ."

"Why, though? He said he was gonna tell us everything once the rest of the guys get here."

"I don't know," I shrugged.

"You think Jared, Jake, and Leah feel the same?" Paul asked, staring off into space.

I actually hadn't thought of that, but now that I think of it, I actually _do _think that they've got the same feeling that the old man's hiding something from us. If Paul and I both have a nagging feeling that he is, then they probably do too. Who knows, maybe it's a pack thing, a wolf instinct.

"I think they do," he said, answering his own question. "If you and me feel that he is, then why not them?"

"I think so too -"

"- listen lady, we HAVE to be in there, it's an emergency!" Though he was down the hall, Sam's voice was like thunder that could be heard over a billion miles.

"Looks like the nurse up front is giving them trouble too," Paul snickered.

"Come on, let's go," I said, slapping him on the back.

"Sorry sir, but I've already let 3 men into that room. I don't have permission from doctor Cullen to let you 3 in," the nurse pleaded under Sam's terrifying gaze.

_So much for being calm and collected, Sam._

"Doctor_ Cullen _-"

"They're with us," I interrupted, catching the nurses eye.

The nurse nodded frantically and went back to her seat, "Very well. You may go in."

"Pain in the ass," Embry muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Quil thought it would be funny if he scared the nurse, so he cracked his knuckles and made his body flinch in a way that said "you wanna fight?." The nurse of course rolled away in her seat a feet away from Quil with a horror-stricken face.

"Nice Quil, give the hospital more of a reason to kick us out," Embry said, rolling his eyes.

"Did you see her face?" Quil laughed, fully ignoring Embry.

"Seth, Paul," Sam nodded. "Where are they?"

"You think your sister's done by now?" Paul asked, punching my arm lightly.

"Probably. We've given her enough time," I grinned. "C'mon, his room's this way."

Sam, Embry, and Quil, all confused as to what we were referring Leah to, followed suit without a word. I couldn't read any of the expressions on their faces. They were all nervous, no doubt about that, but I couldn't pinpoint how they were really feeling. Especially Embry. Paul has already seen Billy, so he knows what to expect. The other three though, don't know about anything at all, so it's only natural that they be nervous as shit. But of course they're macho men, so they decide to casually walk around the hospital with blank faces.

"Is this the room?" Sam asked softly.

"No, I thought we should make a detour and visit some cancer patients," Paul said, in his signature smart-ass voice.

"Thank you, Paul," Sam growled, pushing the door open.

Leah, Jake, and Jared all looked up the minute the door opened with huge smirks on their faces. They probably heard Paul's smart-ass remark.

"Sam," Billy greeted with a nod. "Quil, Embry."

"Hey, Billy," Embry said quietly. "How you holding up, old man?"

Billy's face went from a smile to a hard frown.

"Yeah, Bills. You feelin' okay?" Quil asked.

Paul snorted

and watched Billy's face turn red.

"For Christ's sake! Does it really look like I'm about to die any second? Jesus!" Billy said in an exasperated voice.

Everyone in the room stared at him in shock. No one said a thing. I'm pretty sure everyone had something to say, but no one wants to say anything to Billy Black after he's had one of his outbursts. Everyone stared at him with wide eyes, even Jacob. I never told anyone this, but I always thought it was hilarious when Billy lost his temper.

"Kinda," Jake replied. And then everyone burst into hard fits of laughter.

_Apparently, they found it funny when he was mad, too._

"You kids are gonna' give me a brain hemorrhage one of these days," Billy said through chuckles.

"Only because we love you," Quil said, grinning widely.

"So, what happened?" Sam asked, turning serious again.

Two light knocks echoed through out the room, and the Cullen clan appeared inside, minus Rosalie, Edward, and Bella. Then again, Edward and Bella are on their honeymoon. But what's blondie's excuse?

It's a good thing Jared warned the other three that the Cullen's were coming. Wouldn't want a brawl to happen in the middle of Billy's emergency room, now would we? But either way, the rest of the pack, except me, tensed up at their entrance. Leah muttered something about old women's perfume, earning a snort from Paul and Quil.

"Long story short, the vampires we've been searching for attacked Billy, demanding answers, and he refused. The damage on his skin was caused by their brutal beatings. He's perfectly healthy, no virus or anything wrong internally. He's in the hospital because of the leeches," Jared explained in a serious tone.

Emmett stared hard at Jared, letting every detail sink in. Jasper seemed to be reading Billy. The rest of the Cullen's just looked intensely at Jared, not like Emmett was, but just. . . worriedly?

I watched as Sam, Embry, and Quil's face go from calm to infuriated.

"They beat you?" Sam snarled.

"Yes," Billy said, unnerved.

"Then why aren't you dead?" Quil asked.

Everyone in the room stared at Quil who looked back at every single one of us with a sheepish smile.

"I didn't mean it like that, it's just, they're vampires, and vampires are extremely strong. I don't understand why he's still alive if he was getting knocked around by two vamps," Quil mumbled his explanation.

"I have a theory," Jared said, leaning against the wall.

"Care to elaborate this theory of yours?" Embry asked in a peeved voice.

"Rembember when Seth found that paper that said everything about us?" Jared asked.

"Yes," Sam said, nodding. "What about it?"

"Remember when we said they will stop at nothing to get what they want?"

Again, the three of them nodded.

"That paper listed everything there is to know about us, our families, our childhood, everything about our pack. . ."

"Get to the point!" Quil hissed.

"They used Billy as an example. This just proves that they really won't stop at anything to get where they want. They're gonna hurt us where it hurts the most, starting with Billy."

"Oh my," Esme gasped, placing a pale hand across her chest.

"Why haven't I seen them?" Alice asked again, irritated.

I've been wondering the same thing too. Why hasn't she seen them coming in the first place? Isn't she the one that can see the future?

"Easy. They're using us to blind you," Embry said, taking a seat next to Leah.

Wait, what?

"How -?" Alice began, but was cut off by Embry.

"They were here when we fought against Victoria and her army. Victoria is probably the one who turned them, so it's only obvious that they know of your family and your special abilities."

You know, I never understood why Embry chose to hang out with Jacob and Quil. No offense to them, but Embry's brains make them look like first graders. Before the Sam-Leah incident, Leah and Embry got along well, Embry use to be in Leah's Pre-Calculus class when she was a junior and he was a freshman. They actually use to talk a lot, but that was of course, because he had a HUGE crush on her, along with every other male in tribal school. Now they barely ever talk, it's like they never knew each other. Weird how everything changes after a bad breakup.

"But she saw them in one of her visions before," Jasper said, rubbing his wife's arm soothingly.

"Only because she saw them attacking humans. They had no intentions of drinking _our _blood. That's why you saw them," Embry answered, throwing an arm around the backside of the seat he and Leah were sharing. Jake saw this and growled, earning an eye roll from both Leah and Embry.

"What about their scents? Why can't we smell them?" Emmett asked, crossing his humongous arms.

"For the same reasons we can't," Embry said, lying his head back.

"Huh?" It was hilarious hearing something that sounded so innocent come out of Emmett's mouth. He was so huge and burly it was weird hearing something so human-like escape his lips.

"One of the vampires, I believe his name is Carter, has the ability to cut off our senses. He's been using his gift to cut off our sense of smell, hearing, and other times, sight," Sam said in a harsh tone.

"Intriguing," Carlisle said in a dazed voice. He was back in doctor-mode.

"I don't see how _any _of this is intriguing, _Carlisle_. One of _your_ species has been hurting our people!" Sam roared.

What the fuck, Sam? He's a doctor, what did he expect, that he bend over and offered us a biscuit for telling them all of this? Jesus! Is he _still _angry over the fact that we're gonna ask them to help us ambush Jayden and Carter? He can at least _act _like a big boy in front of the leeches, 'cause this is just embarrassing as hell. I mean, what the heck? We've fought with them before, what's so different about this time? We helped SAVE Bella, it's the least they can do for us to save LEAH. Me and the rest of the guys know for sure that the Cullen's will be more than willing to help us. It's just our damn alpha that has to open his big ass stubborn mouth.

He's suppose to beresponsible and whatnot. It doesn't really matter what we do, the council doesn't give a rats ass about our attitude. If Leah's stubborn, it won't matter because she's not the alpha. If Paul's an asshole to the other tribal kids and their families, it won't matter because he's not the alpha - he's also the resident douche bag. If Jared is a smart ass to everyone in town, it won't matter because he's not the alpha. If _I _try to be as nice as possible to everyone I meet, it won't matter because I'm not the alpha. If Embry treats everyone he meets with respect, it won't matter because he's not the alpha. If Quil takes as much care as possible of Claire, it won't matter because he's not the alpha. But if Sam or Jacob not so much as put a toe out of line, the council will give them hell. Why? Because Sam's the alpha, and Jacob's suppose to be the real alpha, plus he's the chief's son. They don't give a flying fuck that he's the beta, they just care because he's the REAL alpha. So I don't understand why Sam's acting like a little kid right now, what with Billy watching him with an annoyed expression. I mean, the guy is all about the pack and 'respecting elders,' and here he is, acting like a dumb ass, while the rest of his pack is choosing to shut their traps because they know the doctor can't help but find all of this fascinating. Even _Paul_ is acting more mature then Sam, and that's saying something.

Jasper, Alice, and Emmett snarled at Sam, taking a protective stance in front of their "father." Esme wrapped an arm around Carlisle's waist and hugged him. Carlisle gently pushed his kids out of his way and spoke, "My apologies, Mr. Uley. My intention was not to make things seem as if I was enjoying you and your pack's pain. I was merely intrigued by Carter's ability to cut off all senses."

"Don't worry about it, Carlisle," Billy said, giving Sam a look.

"Thank you," Carlisle nodded.

"Well, since we're all caught up," Quil said, breaking the silence. "What is it you were gon' tell us?"

"Ah, yes," Billy said, looking disappointed.

"Yeah, you never got the chance to explain how you lost so much weight," Leah said, looking Billy in the eye. I haven't heard her speak up once.

"And here I was thinking my loss of weight made me look good," Billy said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Aha, good one, old man," Emmett laughed, clapping his enormous hands. I swear, the guy was a 5 year-old at heart.

"Billy," Leah warned, her eyes were piercing through his.

"They took away my sense of taste, touch, and smell," he said quietly.

Damn that has got to be horrible. Imagine feeling starved and trying to eat but not tasting anything you're injesting? At least they let him keep his eyesight, otherwise Billy wouldn't know whether or not he was actually eating anything. I couldn't even begin to imagine how sucky that would feel - I would give up on eating too!

"How does that affect your weight?" Quil asked. Embry slapped his forehead at Quil's comment.

See what I meant about Embry hanging out with Quil?

"Idiot," Embry muttered under his breath. "He doesn't eat anymore because food doesn't appetize him."

Quil continued to stare at him, mimicking Claire's confused look.

"You're so dumb, Quil," Jared huffed. "He can't smell, taste, or feel anything anymore."

Nope, he still doesn't get it. I swear, this guy was slower than slow. PAUL got it before him, and Quil STILL doesn't understand.

"QUIL!" Leah hissed, annoyed. "You moron! He can't taste anything anymoe 'cause Carter took away his sense of taste, he can't smell anything anymore 'cause Carter took away his ability to smell, and he can't feel anything anymore because he also took away his sense of touch! Make sense yet, retard?!"

Quil's confused gaze turned to realization in an instant, making an 'o' with his mouth.

Of course the three smartest of our pack would be the ones to explain things to the idiot of the group. The three of them buried their face in their hands, in sheer mockery. They all had their own sense of humor of course, though they'd never admit it. They've teamed up on us before, pulling horrible pranks on us, and they didn't even notice. It's weird! It's like they're friends but don't know it. Well. . . Jared and Leah are cool again, but Embry? I guess he's gonna have to work his way up there with her again.

"Ohhhhh! I get it now!" Emmett said, from the corner.

Everyone in the room snapped their head in Emmett's direction. My eyes were wide and my mouth was hanging open. I looked around at my fellow pack members and found that they had the same facial expression as me.

Damn, the vampire was an idiot too! He's slower than Quil! And that's the slowest of the slow! Holy shit!

Alice took a step away from Emmett as if embarrassed, and her mate, Jasper, was pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance at his brother. Seriously though, who lives a century and doesn't have brains? I looked at Esme, and almost burst out laughing. I swear, if she was still a human, she would've been blushing hardcore! Carlisle was attempting to hide a smile that was slowly appearing on his face.

Leah was the first to laugh and everyone eventually joined in afterword, including Carlisle. Emmett was laughing too, except he didn't know that everyone was laughing at him. It was weird. . . the pack actually getting along with the Cullens._ I_ have no problem with them, I actually like the Cullen's and see them as people. The pack? Not so much. Which is why this is such an ironic scene.

Since no one was able to compose themselves, it was Carlisle that spoke, "If you aren't able to eat, we're going to have to keep you here and feed you through a tube."

Before Billy could protest, Leah cut in, "That would be great. Wouldn't it Billy?"

"Well -"

"Nonsense, dad, it sounds like a great idea," Jake said cheekily.

"Son -"

"All in favor of Billy staying here?" Jake asked.

Every hand in the room but Billy's, shot up in the air. Jacob looked around, satisfied and smiled down at his father, "It's settled then. You're staying."

"Soo. . . . is that it?" Paul asked.

"Yeah," Billy said in a calm voice.

And there it was again, that nagging feeling. He was still hiding something from us. My eyes shot to Paul's, whose eyes were narrowed and staring intently at the old man. Every other pack member had the same expression, narrow eyes, and nostrils flared. Which meant I was right, it _is_ a pack thing.

I saw Jasper, from the corner of my eye, scrunch his face together in frustration.

"He's lying," Jasper said, his eyes furrowing more deeply. "He's hiding something. . . and he's worried."

"Billy," Sam said. "What is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Billy choked.

"Lie," Jasper said again. Billy whipped his head around to face Jasper and gave him an annoyed look.

"I apologize, but I need him here. My son is here to help," Carlisle said gently.

"Billy," Sam repeated. "What is it?"

"Their next victims. . ." Billy said cautiously.

"Yes?" Quil urged.

Billy looked from Quil, to Jared, to Sam, with sorrowful eyes, and nodded. "Their next victims are the imprints."

Three loud growls escaped from Jared, Quil, and Sam. Their eyes were flaring with fury and the need to protect.

The nagging feeling was eased but not fully gone.

"That's what you've been hiding?" Paul asked skeptically.

He nodded, and clasped his hands together firmly. "They're not going easy on the imprints like they did on me. They told me they will be using their venom."

This time the room was filled with choruses of growls and snarls coming from both the pack and the coven. No one messes with family. And yes, the Cullen might as well be family. Mom is going to marry Charlie, making Bella our step-sister, and the Cullen's our in-laws. So yes, we might as well be a big family, no matter how much the pack hates the idea. But hey, I'm cool with it.

"There's something else," Billy said in a grave tone, "There is another one of them, a woman. She's their friend, also a vampire. I'm assuming she was turned the same time as them and managed to escape. She has a gift as well. . ."

"What is it?" Sam growled.

"She can take memories away and plant anything she wants you to believe in your mind. If she uses her power on any of you. . . . there is a strong possibility you will stand against your loved ones."

"Sam! You need to switch our partners back! There's no way Jared can go on patrol with me with Kim unprotected!" Leah snarled.

"But -"

"SAM! I. HAVE. TO. PROTECT. HER." Jared said, growling lightly.

"Very well," Sam sighed. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Embry and Leah," he said, choking on Leah's name. "You two will partner up. Jacob, Paul, and Seth, you will be a trio. Jared and Quil, we will figure something out together."

Wow, even in the face of fucking danger, he STILL won't let Jake and Leah be together.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Jacob growled, getting up to stand.

"Jake," Leah hissed. "Let it go!"

Jacob, very slowly, sat back down on the edge of Billy's bed.

"Now that we have that all figured out," Embry said, trying to break the tension. "What was it that _you _guys wanted to tell us?"

He was referring to the Cullen's. I actually forgot that they had something important to tell us. Kudos for remembering, Embry.

"Yes," Carlisle nodded. "You see, while Edward and Bella were on their honeymoon, they got involved with sexual activities. . . Thus leading her to a now pregnant state."

"She's pregnant?!" Jake snarled, earning a frown from Leah. "With a mutant spawn?"

"Yes, we've never encountered anything like it before. We have no idea if the fetus will be dangerous or not," Carlisle said, and for the first time, I finally saw him look frustrated.

Because of the grim look on the doctor's face we let it go. For now. There was just too much drama we could handle in one day. The pack's priority was to focus on Jayden, Carter, and their mysterious friend. Oh, and the imprints. If Bella's baby is a threat, I know the Cullens will take care of it. The problem is, will Bella let them?

* * *

It's been three weeks. Three weeks have passed since the whole pack and the Cullens were standing in the same hospital room surrounding Billy and exchanging information. The upside is Billy looks as good as new. Those feeding tubes - although disgusting as hell - were working miracles for him. The downsides were the moods of every wolf - every one of us was on edge, always keeping a close watch on everything. The slightest of movements had us growling and close to phasing. It was hell. And to make matters worse we were all exhausted because Sam had us all patrolling nonstop. We were lucky if we got 5 hours of sleep in.

Today Sam decided to have the pack meet up in Billy's room and call the Cullens for a followup on his condition. He also wanted to know the situation with Bella's pregnancy. This leads us to where I am now, in the middle of a pack of wolves and a coven of vampires, listening to Bella's horrid condition and how she's refusing to get an abortion. Both the pack and the Cullens wanted that thing out of her but Bella just wouldn't have it - she claims if Edward injects his venom - gag - in her, then she'll turn. Only one word came to mind at her optimism: delusional.

"Where are they?" Jacob growled, his entire frame shaking.

"At the mansion," Carlisle answered, looking warily from Jacob to Billy.

"Jake," Leah growled. "Calm -"

"Shut the hell up, Leah, this has _nothing_ to do with you! This is about Bella and you may not care about what happens to Bella but I _do, _I have to keep her safe!" Jacob snarled. Leah recoiled with a hurt face as if she had been slapped.

Six growls coming the pack was directed at Jake. What the hell is he thinking? Yelling at my sister for trying to keep him from phasing in a hospital? What the fuck happened to 'treating her right' or 'respecting her'?

I will never trust a man to take Leah's hand ever again. Leah will be baptized and a nun once this wolf nonsense is over. I will not let her be talked to like this again.

The Cullen's looked shocked. Alice looked disappointed and was shaking her head. Emmett and Jasper both had their teeth bared at Jake in annoyance, daring him to yell at Leah again. Carlisle and Esme wore deep frowns that masked their true disappointment. Now do you see how we practically are a family. Even the Cullen's don't like LEAH being mistreated. Even if Leah is a smart-ass and very disrespectful towards them, they still treat her well, and care about her.

"Jacob!" Billy roared. "Apologize! NOW."

Jake's face softened and turned towards my sister. "Leah -"

"Save it. Embry, let's go," Leah said in a calm tone.

Well, she's pissed. A calm Leah is a dangerous Leah. Why Jake? Why'd you have to go and yell at her?! Who cares if Bella's pregnant?! Let her have the damn kid, she isn't your girlfriend! Leah's yours now! Well, she _was _before you had to open your giant mouth and practically tell the world you're still panning after Bella!

"Leah," Jake pleaded. "I'm -"

"C'mon, Em. Please?" she asked, pleading with Embry. _Pleading!_ Leah NEVER pleads! And here she is, doing something she wouldn't normally do, because her boyfriend had to go and be a jackass, and snap at her over some girl who never liked him back. Damn you, Jacob.

Embry took hold of her hand - earning a growl from Jake - and walked out of the room with her.

"Never again," Jared warned, shooting a cold glare at Jacob. He, along with Quil, and Sam followed after them without a word. Paul was next to stand up.

"The leech lover is _married_ and you're still chasing after her," Paul snarled. "Come near Leah and I'll give you something to cry about."

With that, he walked out of the room, slamming the door in the process. It's a wonder how that thing is still intact.

"Seth -"

"Jake, you promised me you wouldn't hurt her."

"I know," he sighed. He was trying to hide it, but I could see his eyes glazing over.

"No. No you don't. Paul's right. She's married and you're _still _choosing her."

"No -"

"What ever happened to 'fuck the rest, I roll with the best'?" I asked, feeling the anger boiling at the top of my head. Yes, I've heard him repeat that line over a thousand times in his head before.

"It's not -"

"You know, if Sam hadn't imprinted, he'd still be with Leah? But you. You haven't imprinted. But you still choose her over Leah."

"I -"

"She's my sister, Jake. I told you if you ever hurt her, I'd personally kick your ass."

"I know, but -"

"But I'm not gonna do that. Just stay away from her, Jacob. Or you'll have 6 angry wolves on your ass."

"Damnit Seth! I love her!"

"NO! YOU LOVE _BELLA!_ Stop feeding her lies!" I slammed the door on my way out, and ran into the forest, shredding my clothes in the process.

Fuck, I wonder what the Cullen's thought about our little pack drama. Damn, the things we do for my sister. Shit, and I thought things couldn't get any worse. Why the fuck can't Jake just make up his damn mind?! Why does it seem like Jayden's scheme of breaking the pack up is working? I mean, what the hell is this now? The pack vs. Jayden, Carter, Bella's baby, and now Jacob?!

Well at least we figured something out. Not that it'll help ANYTHING at all: Jacob, clearly isn't over Bella.

* * *

**Author's note: **So, what'd you think? I personally LOVE writing in Seth's POV, he's just so damn lovable! God, I love him! I needed some more drama in this story, so I decided to stir some conflict within the pack and between Jake and Leah. Please don't hate me! I just want to make this story more juicy! ;) Please review!


	14. Change of Plans

Chapter Fourteen: Change of plans

* * *

**Jayden's POV**

Sitting on a branch at the top of one of the trees right outside a hospital was never part of my plan. It's a miracle the branch is able to hold my weight and Carter's. As usual, he is making sure the wolves and the vampires don't smell or hear us. We saw all of the Cullen's arrive - with the exception of Edward and his pet - at the hospital along with all members of the pack. They're all in there right now, they've been in there for at least an hour. I've been straining to hear the conversation going on in Billy's room, but it's no use, there's way too much talking in the hospital, it's hard to hear anything that's going on in Billy's room.

"I saw my mom today," Carter said, picking out a leaf from his hair.

"You didn't talk to her, did you?" I asked, annoyed. I don't understand why he still feels the need to be close to his parents. He's a vampire for crying out loud! He doesn't need protection from his parent's anymore.

"No," he snapped. "I didn't. You think I want to drain my mom dry?"

"Good. Keep away from the humans. Don't let any of them - especially your parents - see you." I said.

"I will once you keep away from, Leah," he hissed.

"She's my mate," I growled.

"And she's my _mom_," he snarled.

"Fine," I said dryly. "You can stalk your mommy."

"Good," he said, mocking me. "I'll stalk my mom while you stalk a dog that would rather be fed to the sharks than be with you."

"Shut up, Carter!" I growled.

"If you insist, _boss._"

That imbecile! Why do I even bother having him around?! Oh yeah, without him, the wolves would find me easily. So am I using him? Hell yeah I am. I don't like him and he doesn't like me. But we both have a sense of camaraderie, we look out for each other because we need one another. He looks up to me, he listens to me. Ever since we were young, Carter followed me everywhere, and he's STILL following me. I figured he would have left a long time ago, him being a vampire and all, but no. He's still here.

I watched as she walked out those hospital doors with Embry right beside her. Her face contorted with pain and betrayal. His face conveyed anger and disbelief. Both walked in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Neither of them said a word. I focused on the walking pair in confusion. Why was she with Embry? Where is Jacob? What's with her expression? What's with his? I couldn't help but wonder if Leah had moved on from Jacob and decided to close in on the "bastard wolf." It would make sense if she did, they both had very similar personality traits. She never did look good with Jacob, nor did she look good with Sam either. But it's only obvious that it would seem wrong to have her placed next to another man besides I. She intrigues me, and I know she's interested in me. Not in a romantic way, not yet anyway, but in a scientific way. Meaning she only wants to know more about me and my "talent," in order to destroy me. Not exactly what I wanted, but not to worry, those feelings of anger toward me will surely change. Just give it time.

As the pair walked into the forest, Paul Lahote walked out of the hospital with a pissed look on his face. Paul always looks angry though, so it was something I've come accustomed to when seeing him. But the anger on his face, it's been deeply intensified. The tremors on his body were shaking as he took every step in Leah's and Embry's direction. It's not everyday when I see Embry angry, so seeing his face filled with fury was shocking. But right now, he and Paul both held the same furious look which really enlightened me. I didn't think attacking Billy would get them this riled up, nonetheless separate Leah from Jacob. But if the separation of the pack helps get Leah on her own, I'll take it.

Paul was followed by Quil and Sam. Both had eerie expressions planted on their faces. They were angry alright, I could feel the heat emanating off of them to know for sure that they were pissed. But there is also a look of fear that was etched on their faces. The two of them looked behind them and breathed a sigh of relief as Jared walked out of the hospital followed by Seth. Jared had eyes set to kill. He sprinted into the forest and immediately phased. It's amazing how injuring an old man can get everyone THIS riled up. And SETH - the kid's face was_ murderous_. I had thought that Leah, Embry, Paul, Jared, Quil, and Sam were pissed. None of them compared to Seth's look of rage. The rest of them paled in comparison. Sam and Quil were standing a few feet ahead of the boy, watching with wary eyes, afraid that he might phase in front of the few passers. I don't blame them. Seth was literally shaking from head to toe, the few passing people stopped and stared at him with worried faces.

It's like the kid didn't notice anything at all. It's as if his surroundings was just a blur. His eyes glazed over as he pushed past Sam and Quil, breaking for the forest. Once he hit the soil, I heard the most agonized, strangled howl, erupt from the forest. A howl that only a wolf with so much emotion can make. It was Seth. Seeing Billy beat up must have been tough on the kid. Good.

"What do we do about Jake?" I heard Quil ask Sam.

Sam scratched the back of his neck and sighed, "I don't know. I _told_ him he was going to hurt her."

"He can't help that he still has feelings for Bella," Quil said rather harshly, feeling the need to defend his friend. "But it doesn't mean that he should still fawn over her."

"Leah should be fine with Embry for now," Sam said, as they entered the forest.

Of course Sam would say that. He doesn't want Jacob claiming Leah as his own, so it's a delight for him to see that the two are separated for the time being.

"Does this mean that she and Jake aren't together anymore?" Quil asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Maybe, maybe not. Jake seems to still love Bella, and he's anxious to see her," Sam said, unbuttoning his shorts.

"Even when she's pregnant with a demon, Bella STILL causes problems for our pack," Quil said, pulling his clothes into a bundle and tying them with a rope around his ankle. "This isn't even our problem, let the leeches deal with it."

"Jacob cares about her," Sam said, slipping off his shirt.

"But what about Leah?" Quil questioned. "Is he going to choose Bella again, or is he going to stay with Leah?"

"We'll just have to wait and see," Sam said, before phasing. Quil burst into a chocolate colored wolf, and the two of them set out running for the rest of their pack.

I turned to Carter and grinned, "Bella Swan is pregnant."

"So?"

"So, Jacob still loves her," I said, grinning wider.

"Again, so?"

"Did you not hear them? Jacob might choose Bella, that's a big advantage."

"Yeah, so now what?" he asked, obviously not sharing my enthusiasm.

"We'll do what Sam said."

"Which is. . . ?"

"We'll just have to wait and see," I said, annoyed. "If Bella is pregnant with a 'demon' like Quil says, then there's a possibility that the pack might attack the Cullen's. But Jacob will be there to protect the Cullen's because he still cares about Bella. The pack will be split into two, the pro Bella and the anti-Bella. Jacob's pack against Sam's. Alpha versus Alpha."

"Which is why we'll have to wait and see," Carter said, looking thoughtful. "Alright, let's hope this time your plan _does_ go as planned."

So the wolves are angry because of. . . Jacob? I know that they feel for Billy and his injuries and will stop at nothing to avenge him, but still. How can Jacob's stupid mistakes be the cause of every pack members anger? I can understand why Leah is hurt, and why Seth is beyond infuriated, but why Embry? Why Jared? Why Paul? Quil? And Sam, he has Emily, what does it matter to him?

My intentions of hurting Billy was to let Leah know that I was serious when I said I wanted her. I wanted to show her that I was going to stop at nothing to get her. I started with Billy because I knew she, along with everyone else, cared about the old fool. I thought that if I had hurt him, she would have given in without a word. I thought she would have gotten the message, that I would take down anyone and everyone to get her. I don't want to hurt her, I don't like seeing her in pain, but if hurting the ones she loves will get her to come running to me, then I'm okay with it. I don't want to go through the whole process of waiting for her to be alone then abducting her. That would take an eternity seeing as how none of the wolves will leave her side. Hurting her mentally will flow easier than if I captured her physically. Even if I had Carter with me to take away her senses, her strength is still remarkable.

"Wanna head back?" Carter suddenly asked.

"Yeah," I said, reaching for his arm.

* * *

"Why do you want her so bad?" Carter asked, leaning against the cave wall.

"Does it matter?" I asked.

"Well, being hunted down by a pack of wolves and possibly a coven of vampires does frightens me a little. So yeah, it matters."

"I just do alright?"

"But why?"

"Why not?" I asked.

"I mean yeah, she's hot, but c'mon Jay, a vampire and shape-shifter?"

"I can make it work," I hissed.

"Her kind is BORN to kill us," he stated, trying to get the message through my head.

I already knew that she was born to be a protector, to kill my kind, but it doesn't matter. I don't care. I only want her. Surely the pack can deal without her?

"I know," I shrugged.

"You're impossible!" he growled.

"I know," I smirked.

"Fuck you, I'm going out for a hunt," he snarled getting to his feet.

"Try to steer clear from your mom, you don't wanna drain her," I said grinning ear to ear.

He threw a boulder-sized rock at me, but I dodged it easily. We did that often, threw boulder-sized things at each other. It was like dodge-ball, except with boulders. It's pretty amusing.

Unfortunately, Carter is gone, and I am no longer amused. Now what?

Maybe I should do a recap. Everyone in the pack, minus Seth, used to Despise Leah. Now everyone can't stay away from her. Well, that's how I see it at least. It's infuriating, why can't they let her be? How many partners is she going to have? First she's with Jacob, then she's with Jared, and then out of no where she walks out of the fucking hospital with Embry! I know that Bella is pregnant with something that none of us have ever encountered before. I know that every ones first reaction to the spawn, or fetus, is bad. Everyone thinks its dangerous, _I_ think it's dangerous. No ones ever come across a vampire/human specimen before. The first instinct from the wolves is to kill it. I'm sure Jacob wants to kill it just as much as the other wolves do. But how can he do that if it's in Bella's womb? Easy. He stays with her. I know I'm just second-guessing here, but I suddenly have this feeling that things are going to go my way for once. If Jacob still loves Bella, he won't let anyone hurt her. Both he and Edward will both fight anyone in order to protect their precious Bella. But I wonder. . . would Jacob lay a hand on Leah if she tried killing the fetus? Maybe, maybe not. Who would he choose, Bella or Leah?

I never did understand what Edward or Jacob saw in Bella. She was nothing special to me. She was plain compared to Leah. Hell, she was plain compared to Jessica and her group of friends! I remember when she moved down to Forks. EVERYONE had a thing for her. I remember hearing Mike Newton talking to Tyler Crawley about his date with Bella at the movies and how it sucked because the 'indian' kid wanted to tag along with them. It was chaotic. Edward Cullen and Bella were the 'it' couple at school, every girl wanted Edward Cullen and every guy wanted Bella Swan. Then came Jacob Black, an Indian from the Reservation with rock-hard abs, he too wanted Bella badly. So of course, we'd see him occasionally at our school, shirtless of course, waiting for Bella and Edward. And every girl who gave up on Edward, quickly moved onto swooning over Jacob. So how does Mike Newton fit in? He doesn't. He was just another boy in school who wanted Bella. He just had a better advantage then most guys because he and Bella were actually friends. Though the odds of him ever getting with Bella were one in a million.

Jacob liked Bella. No scratch that last, he loved her. What I don't understand is why he didn't love Leah. I mean yeah, Leah was dating Sam Uley before, but they broke up before Bella even moved here. So why didn't he move onto Leah like every guy on the Rez tried to? Sam probably ordered Paul, Jared, Embry, and Jacob to steer clear and stay away from his Leah, which is why none of them made an attempt to get with her. Quil, however, hadn't phased yet, so he wasn't put under any mythical order. He, of course, asked if she wanted to hangout on the weekend, and surprisingly she said yes. She couldn't scream at him and say no, he was the grandson of Senior Quil, it would be disrespectful and she would have been given hell by her parents if she did. So she said yes. I learned that she actually got along with Quil after all, he would make her laugh. She actually liked hanging out with him. After a weekend of hanging out together, they started a tradition to hang out every weekend. But that soon stopped after he phased. Once Quil phased, I guess he was thinking of all the times he hung out with Leah. Every guy in the pack seething with jealousy, I bet. Everyone but Jacob. It's like the guy was blinded by a ray of sunlight. That sunlight being Bella's pale-ass skin. Seriously, if I had known about vampires as a human, I would have thought _she_ was a vampire. The girl was fucking albino! Anyway, back to what I was saying. I suppose Bella was an irresistible treat to Jacob, but the guy had to lay off, she was Edward's and nothing was going to change that. Then again, I guess I'm put in Jacob's situation. Leah is Jacob's girlfriend, and I'm the one chasing after her. But this scenario is a bit different. You see, Jacob still loves Bella, and there's a 50-50 chance that he might choose Bella over Leah. And if he does, I'll be the night in shining armor - Literally, my skin shines in the sun after all, and my body is a billion times stronger than steel.

Now I'm back where I started. Jacob might leave Leah, and I don't have a plan. My previous plan had gone wrong. I can't proceed with my unsuccessful plan now, that would be suicide. So I've made a change of plans. I'm giving her another week to think about the events that have occurred. If she doesn't act and come at me, I'll strike again. I noticed the flare in Jared's eyes earlier today, and now that I know that it's Jacob that got everyone in the pack angry, I know who I'll attack. The fire in Jared's eyes was like inferno. If he was that infuriated with Jacob doing such a thing to Leah, then I'm gonna go with my hunch and say that he and Leah have recently reconnected. They were great friends before, I'd even go as far as saying best friends, they did practically everything together. There was actually a time when I thought that they were dating. But with a little confirmation with some locals on the Rez, I got the news that I'd been praying to hear; they were just friends. If they're friends again, that means they still care about each other. And seeing as how Jared's temper flared over-board because of the Jacob-Leah-Bella incident, I'm guessing Leah would react the same way if Jared ever got hurt. So my next victim: Jared's _precious_ Kim.

Why not Emily? Well you see, as much as I hate Emily with a passion for hurting Leah, it wouldn't make sense. Leah would be miserable if her cousin was attacked by Carter and I, but it would also bring her some relief. It would get Sam off her back. If I attacked Kim, Jared would be miserable, and Leah would be agonized and feel as if it was her fault. Of course Jared and the rest of the pack would scold her and say that none of this is her fault, which would earn them some slaps across their faces from scolding her like a child. All in all, if Kim was attacked, Jared would be feel agonized, Leah would feel agonized, Sam would take the attack seriously and do his best to protect the imprintees. The more protection the imprintees get, the less Leah has.

Let's see just how many more people Leah can bear to see in pain before she starts off on a search for me. Soon, I hope. I haven't seen her lovely face in nearly 3 hours. I'd love to kiss those luscious lips of hers. I don't have to worry about Jacob now, he hurt her, I'm positive that he won't go knocking on her door anytime soon. But I'm convinced he will later on, just to clear things up. That's what the bastard does. He gives people time and space. But when he does, I'll be ready. Oh, I won't attack him. But I'll be listening. If I know one thing about Leah Clearwater, she's stubborn. So she sure as hell won't accept his apology that easily. Especially after he stirred up so much drama in the pack and bringing Bella back into their lives. . .

Yes, I'm going to have to go with Sam's advice. _We'll just have to wait and see._

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**Author's Note: **So, I had a hard time writing this chapter. It's a bit shorter then my previous chapters, but I tried. Jayden's POV is hard to write, I have to be evil, smart, and sneaky all at the same time. So, sorry if you thought it sucked. PLEASE REVIEW!

I had a review from someone that said that I'm mentally retarded because I said I would post on weekends but then end up posting on mondays. Actually, "Guuurrl" that happened ONCE, and the rest of my postings are on Sundays. You probably live in another region where the calendar is one day ahead of America, 'cos that's what it's like in Micronesia and other countries. The review also said that if I didn't upload 'frequently' or whatever, she'd tell everyone that I fuck anything that has a dick. Well, honey go ahead. You can tell the whole world that, it really doesn't matter to me, 'cos who's going to believe you? You don't even know me. I'm sorry that I don't upload when you want me to, but really, give me a break, I'm stressing over school here. But thanks anyway for the review, you just gave me an extra one to read :) I don't hate you btw, what you wrote just annoyed me.


	15. Already Gone

Chapter fifteen: Already Gone

* * *

**A/N: **The bold + italic words in this chapter are lyrics to a song :)

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**Leah POV**

_**Remember all the things we wanted, now all our memories, they're haunted**_

I've had lots of people yell at me before, but never like this. I've seen my own reflection in eyes filled with hatred, but I've never seen such defiance in _his_. All this time, I thought he had gotten over her. Who was I kidding? Jacob Black was using me as a rebound. He didn't like me, he hated everything about me! Why would he all of a sudden start to like me, Leah Clearwater, bitch from hell? We used to argue back and forth _everyday. _Why would this be any different? How can I be so naive in thinking that he was actually over Bella I-like-Popsicle-dicks Cullen?! How can I even compare to her pale, fragile, pregnant ass? I bet he only wanted to have sex with me because he knew I couldn't get pregnant. I bet hearing that his precious never-was girlfriend is pregnant was a blow to his ego, because Mrs. I-got-knocked-up-by-frozen-sperm likes frozen meat instead of fresh, if you catch my drift.

Bitching about Bella isn't going to change the fact that I'm hurt. And what's worse is _she's _the reason why I'm hurt. Why is it that wherever she goes, chaos occurs? I mean shit, she's the reason why Victoria created that newborn army of hers. And now what, she comes back, basking in all her pregnant fucking glory, and she STILL manages to tear up our pack. And Jacob, he knows that she's married, he was at the wedding! It's no wonder he's categorized as one of the idiots of the pack, how can he still chase after a married woman who happens to be a _Cullen_ now? Not Swan - not anymore, those days are over - it's Cullen now. It's obvious that the leeches are going to change her soon, it only makes sense. Why else would Dr. Cullen let his precious son marry a human? Bella is his mate, she needs to be changed in order to live for _all eternity _with him. And still, my dumbass boyfriend still thinks he still has a chance. He's just setting himself up for more heartache. Once Bella is a vampire, he's going to either kill her and the rest of them, or he's going to kill himself.

_**We were always meant to say goodbye**_

I know I shouldn't get emotional over him yelling at me - because we yell at each other all the time - but I can't help it, not when he yelled like _that._ It's like imprinting all over again. Sam didn't have a choice, it physically hurts him when he's away from Emily, he has no choice but to be with her. But Jacob. . . he hasn't imprinted, he's just madly in love with Bella. It doesn't physically hurt him to be away from Bella or else he would've been writhing in pain while she was on her honeymoon. Jacob had a choice, no scratch that, he still does have a choice, and he's refusing to do anything about it. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore because Bella's back. I'm being rejected once again. Except this time, it hurts twice as much. He was using me the whole time.

Although I hate Bella with every fiber in my body, I can't help but envy her. The girl gets everything she wants. Before all this shape-shifter/vampire nonsense, I was a regular human girl who loved watching horror flicks. And believe it or not, I was a vampire girl. I loved those vampire boys, I always found their mysterious personalities, and deep husky voices to be so damn sexy. Then I sprouted and turned into a fucking _dog_ and found out that everything, all the legends were true. Vampires and shape-shifters exist. And I was one of them. When I phased, I assumed that all of the Cullens in Forks were beautiful. Oh, how wrong I was. When I met them, every single one of them where beyond beautiful, they were extraordinarily stunning. They gave vampires in the horror flicks I use to watch, a run for their money. They actually made the vamps on T.V. look normal. But like everything else on the face of the planet, they had one teensy little flaw: they stunk. Horribly. At one of our bon fires, everyone started talking about our legends. That was the night I found my extreme hatred for the Cullens. That was when I figured out that they were the reason why I phased and why Sam left me for my cousin. From that moment on, every time I saw a Cullen, or a leech for that matter, I automatically had the need to kill. Of course it was also an instinct of all of the wolves, but I know that deep down, it's also because I only wanted revenge.

_**Even with our fists held high, it never would have worked out right, yeah**  
_

I never understood why Bella chose Edward over Jacob. During patrol, I spent a full hour measuring out the pros and cons about the both of them and all I got out of my critical thinking was that Edward was polite, and Jacob wasn't. Still, it just didn't make sense. Why would a human chose a vampire over a werewolf? Because I'm a shape-shifter myself, it's weird that a human would chose a vampire over my _species_. But then, I had one of those rare Leah moments when I actually looked at something from someone else's perspective. I imagined myself being a human again, and standing in Bella's place. I realized something, I probably would have picked the vampire myself. All of the guys in my pack were disrespectful and dirty while the entire coven of parasites were polite and _clean_. I figured out that I'd also choose Edward because he would actually make me feel wanted, and make me feel special. I've practically known Bella my entire life, and growing up, she hasn't been the most brightest kid, always tripping over her own feet and falling on her knees for no reason at all. And now, with her leech on her arm, she seems to be a little more confident, more proud. Because he brought out the good in her. Not that she wasn't a goody-too-shoo to begin with, just self conscious. I know that if I never phased into a wolf, I would've been admiring the entire coven from afar. I probably wouldn't look twice at my pack if I were a human, because I've known all of those boys my entire life. And seeing an entire family that looked ten times better than the vampires on T.V. would sure get me excited.

_**We were never meant for do or die**_

When I think about it now, it's weird for me to think that Jacob doesn't understand Bella's feelings for Edward. I can understand the feeling of needing someone to just hold you and tell you that you're everything to them. I recognize the happy feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when he tells you that he loves you and places a kiss on your forehead, making you blush furiously. I've been there, and I've done that. And now I'm alone again. I hate Bella because I understand where she's coming from. I hate her because I would've picked the vampire too. I'm a fucking shape-shifter now, and it's my duty to kill off vampires, so feeling hate towards the Cullens is an instinct. I still hate them for ruining my life. I still hate Bella for choosing Edward, even though I understand why, she should've chosen Jacob. That way, the newborn army never would have occured, and I never would have gotten hurt by him. But if the blood-sucking part doesn't affect Bella, then the leech must be doing something right. But none of this matters, it still doesn't change the fact that Jacob still chooses Bella over me. I learned a valuable lesson. You can't mix fantasy with reality.

_You would've picked Edward too? _Embry asked curiously.

_Shit, I forgot about you! Has anyone else phased yet?! _I asked frantically. Damn, if all of them heard anything I was just thinking of, I was screwed. The guys would clown on me until the end of time.

_Chill, Leah. It's just us, _Embry laughed.

_You're not gonna tell any of them, are you? _I hated how nervous I was. I'm never nervous, and here I am, feeling my stomach drop with every stride.

_No, I'm not gonna tell._

_Really? _I asked, blowing out a gust of air in relief.

_Yes, really. Why is that so surprising?_

_I don't know, I guess it's 'cause I'm always mean to you, I don't understand why you'd do me a favor._

_I'm a nice guy. I like to stay out of trouble, _he said, attempting to shrug his shoulders.

_You're weird Embry. Most of the guys would've died laughing if they heard me. Why aren't you laughing?_

_Because if I were a girl, I'd probably choose Edward too. For the same reasons as you._

I stopped dead in my tracks, and watched him fly past me. He stopped abruptly and trotted over to me swishing his tail back and forth.

_What?_ I asked in disbelief.

_You heard me Leah. When Jake ran away, I kept thinking to myself, "why would she choose Edward over Jake? what's so great about him?"_

_And?_

_For the same reasons as you. I'm not gonna actually think them because I'm gonna sound like I actually like the guy. Edward is Seth's man crush, not mine, _he said, barking out a laugh.

I laughed along with him. It's true, Seth practically worships the ground the mind-rapist walks on.

_Hey! That's my little brother! _I warned.

_Don't deny it, Lee. You know I'm right._

_You always think you're right._

_That's 'cause I am always right. ESPECIALLY in math._

_No, no, no, you were just a know-it-all freshman that thought he was better then me._

_I never said I was better then you, I just liked arguing with you._

_What's the point, I always won in the end, _I snorted.

_It doesn't matter, I was cool. You were my favorite junior, _he said shyly.

_Aw, that's too bad. Quil was my favorite freshman._

It fell silent for about ten seconds before we both burst out into howls of laughter, except it sounded like we were choking.

_Good one, Lee. Don't get his hopes up. Quil had the biggest thing for you, _Embry laughed.

_If I'm not mistaken. . . _I began mischievously.

_Nope, not gonna let you finish that sentence!_

_. . . you had -_

_DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY!-_

_Uhm, Embry? -_

_FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!_

_You're in serious need of singing lessons, Call,_ Paul barked, appearing from behind a few bushes.

_I - LEAH! _Embry growled, annoyed that I didn't warn him of our new addition.

I lost all my self-control and let the laughter that I was holding back, escape my mouth.

_I tried to warn you, but you kept on singing, _I laughed.

_Embry, do us all a favor and never sing again, _Paul said, pouncing on Embry.

_Better me singing than you rapping, _Embry snorted, wrestling Paul off.

_Hey, shut up! _Paul growled.

Out of nowhere, a loud, heartbreaking howl echoed throughout the forest. Such, strong emotions were rushing my way, it was making me weak in the knees. Pain, betrayal, disappointment, anger, and sadness were keeping me grounded to the forest floor. I wanted to run in the direction of the howl but the emotions were so intense, I couldn't find the will to move. I knew this wolf. And I knew why he was feeling every single emotion that was cursing through his veins. Seth. The others tried to ignore the howl.

_I remember when he tried to rap, it sounded like third grade poetry, _Jared snorted, coming out form behind the trees and nudging my side.

_Paul, Embry, that's enough, _Sam said, entering the clearing with Quil on his tail.

_You will all be exiting the forest, no one will be patrolling tonight. Everyone will leave the forest with their partners and stay on alert._

_Why? _Jared asked.

_Now? _Paul asked.

_No, yesterday, _Embry said, rolling his eyes. _C'mon Leah._

_What about Seth? _I asked worriedly.

_I will speak to him, _Sam said, looking to the ground sadly.

_I think Leah should do it, the kid listens to her, _Paul said, nodding his head towards me.

_Idiot, _Jared sighed, rolling his eyes.

_No, Leah shouldn't. If anything, Seth will get even angrier if he sees her, _Embry said, standing in front of me.

_Embry's right, Paul. You, Jared, and Quil will leave the forest along with Embry and Leah. I will speak to Seth, _Sam said, using his authoritive voice.

_You know I can hear you all, right? _Seth asked, annoyed.

_Seth! Where are you? _I asked worriedly.

_Don't worry Lee, I'm fine. Phase back with the rest of them, I'll wait for Sam._

_But -_

_Go home, Leah. I'll be there in an hour, kay?_

_Seth -_

_Okay? _he pushed.

_Fine! _I hissed.

_Bye sis._

I walked behind a tree and phased back, slipping on my clothes very quickly and walking back out.

"Ready?" Embry asked, leaning against a nearby tree.

"You better not have been peeking," I warned in a low tone.

"I've seen you naked a hundred times," he said.

"Embry," I warned.

"Chill out," he laughed. "I wasn't peeking. If I wanted to see you naked, I would've asked Paul to phase back so I could look in his head."

"Fuck you," I spat.

"Trust me, it's been on my mind a couple of times, but you're off limits." He shrugged. "You're Jake's girlfriend."

At that, I looked down guiltily. Do I still want to be Jake's girlfriend? Are we still together? I mean, he obviously doesn't want me like he wants Bella. That counts as a break up right?

_Uhm, no? Are you retarded?_

Damnit. I fucking hate my mind. Fucking, always has to talk back to me.

"You're not thinking about breaking up, right?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know," I shrugged.

"Aw, c'mon Lee. I know I'm sexy, but Jake's not all that bad looking," Embry said, grinning cockily.

Honestly, Embry wasn't a bad looking guy. Actually, none of the guys were. But if I had to choose who was the best looking guy out of all of them, not including Jacob, I'd choose Embry. Embry was different, I couldn't tell who he looked more like, Jacob, Quil, or Sam. He's different, and I think that's why I got along with him so well back in high school. Most people followed the crowd, but he wasn't afraid to be different, because in truth, he _was _different. Besides Seth and I, Embry had hazel eyes as well. People always told me that my eyes were 'beautiful' and I never understood why until I saw Embry's eyes for the first time. It was so different to look into a set of eyes that weren't dark brown like most people on the Rez had. I couldn't say that Seth's or my Dad's eyes were beautiful because that'd be weird, but because Embry was my friend, I told him. I remember him laughing and telling me that my eyes were the same shade as his. 'It looks better on you,' is what I said back to him.

"You're just as cocky as the rest of them," I hissed.

"I'm not cocky, Leah," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Where are Jared, Paul, and Quil?" I asked, looking around.

"They went on ahead."

"Oh."

"Leah, are you really gonna break up with him?" he asked, quietly.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "He still likes her."

"He likes you too," he said.

"He likes her more."

"That's not true," he said, narrowing his eyes at the distant trees in front of us.

"Yes it is, you saw the way he snapped at me for trying to get him to calm down when he found out about her," I hissed.

"I don't think he meant it." Great, now he was feeling the need to defend his best friend. Awesome.

"Bullshit! Why am I even talking to you about this?!" I snapped.

"What's wrong with talking to me?" he asked, calmly.

Nothing. Nothing was wrong with talking to Embry. He knew how to work with people, to look at things from someone elses point of view. He's understandable. That's why we always sat next to each other in math, because when we worked together, we excelled. He would look at a math problem from every angle, and I would simplify it, breaking it down to the easiest step. If anything, Embry was the only person to talk to. I couldn't talk to Jared about it because odds are, he's gonna tell Kim. And I'm not really fond of his girlfriend, she kinda bugs me. So nothing, there's nothing wrong with talking to Embry. If I talked to him, maybe it'd get him off my back about not breaking up with his best friend.

"Nothing," I replied honestly.

"Then talk to me," he snorted.

"It's weird, I haven't really talked to you since. . ."

"I know, you don't have to bring that up. Just start talking, I'm up for an argument," he grinned.

"He likes her more, and unless he proves me wrong, nothings gonna change my mind," I said stubbornly.

"I see you're not making this easy," he smirked, keeping his eyes ahead.

"Life's not easy," I said, crossing my arms.

"That, it isn't," he agreed.

"So there, I talked, no argument. We're good."

"Leah. . ." he sighed.

"What?"

"You never talk to me anymore. . . is it. . . is it because of my parentage?" he asked, casting his eyes downward.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. "Why would you say that?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Whenever you _do_ talk to me, your insulting my parentage. . ."

"I-No, that's not why. . ." I said, stopping in my tracks. "I never meant to -"

"I know you don't actually mean it when you insult me, I just wanted to know. . . because it's the only thing you talk about when you do talk. . . to me."

Great, way to make me feel like shit, Embryl. When I had said those things, I wanted Embry and every other member in the pack to hurt. I wanted them to feel pain like I was. It wasn't fair to me that I was hurt and they weren't. I saw Embry as an easy target. Of course I wasn't thinking about the consequences at the time. Embry used to be my friend, _my favorite freshman_, and then there I was, taunting him about his parentage. I think that's when everyone started despising me. I guess I had crossed the line when I started ratting on Embry. At the time, I didn't care, I felt as if I had succeeded. But now, I just feel like an ass. I really did hurt him. I hurt him because of Sam. When everyone else was calling me names, minus Jared of course, Embry was the one telling them to shut up. I use to think that he was trying to run away from the problem, but now I see that he didn't like it when they were calling me out. He was protecting me.

"Embry, I'm sorry," I whispered. "I swear I never - I'm sorry."

I was being sincere. I usually don't apologize to people. If the situation is necessary, it deserves an apology. This is one of those rare times. While he was busting his ass, trying to get everyone to leave me alone, I was there, reminding him that he didn't have a father. What the hell kind of a person am I? I really _am_ a bitch. How does the pack handle me? How does Seth put up with me everyday?

"Does this mean my parentage has nothing to do with you not talking to me?" he asked, hopeful.

"It had nothing to do with your parentage, Embry. I was still hurt over Sam. . ."

"You don't know how good it feels to hear that," he smiled.

"Yeah," I laughed nervously.

It was weird having a conversation like this with Embry. He's always been an intense person, and I liked that about him. He was always honest, and stood up for himself. Except with me. That's one thing I hated about him, he never stood up to me. He never put up a fight. I always wanted to challenge him because he was smart, he was kinda like me in a way, he knew what it was like to be different, to be an outcast. . . But he never did. He ignored my jabs even though it cut him deeply, he took it in silence and stood up for me instead of himself. Now that I look at it, he was challenging me. He was trying to see who was the bigger person. And he won. He's seventeen and he handled the situation like an adult. I'm nineteen and I handled the situation like a _kid_. I've challenged every single person in the pack and won. I challenged Embry thinking he wasn't fighting back, and now the truth finally comes out. The freshman that use to flirt endlessly with me has outgrown me, mentally, physically, and emotionally. He won, Embry has beat me. I respect him for that.

"I forgive you, Leah," he said, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Thanks," I said, managing a small smile.

"So, what do you say? Friends again?" he asked, extending his hand towards me.

I stared at it for a while before I took it.

"You were always my favorite freshman," I said as I shook it.

"You were always my favorite junior. . . and senior," he grinned.

"You're a good guy, Embry," I said, as we met the exit of the forest.

"You're a good person too, Leah. You just don't like to show it."

"Yeah, right," I snorted.

"Remember that crush I had on you?" he asked, smiling.

"Yeah," I laughed. "Why?"

"I still sort of have it," he admitted.

My eyes widened, "Woah! Seriously? Why?"

"I just do," he shrugged.

"But I'm a bitch," I reasoned.

How can he still have a crush on me? I've been nothing but a bitch to him. What the hell does he see in me?

"I think it's kind of hot," he shrugged. "The rest of the guys do too. . . except Jared, but he's weird."

"You're all weird," I said shaking my head.

"You're not like all the girls on the Rez," he said.

"I turn into a wolf, of course I'm not like most girls," I said in a blank tone.

"No, that's not what I meant. Leah, most girls have their faces caked with makeup and wear high heels and do all that unnecessary stuff."

"So you're saying I should be more like them?" I asked, annoyed.

"No! You don't do any of that and you still look three times better then them."

"So you're saying you like me because of my looks?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Leah, I like you 'cause you're _real_. You're not fake. Ask Paul and Quil, they'll tell you the same thing, and I guarantee you that Jake will too."

Wow. That's actually pretty. . . sweet.

"Thanks," I said awkwardly.

"Yep," he said quietly. "But I'm not the only one. . ."

"Paul and Quil?"

"Not so much Quil, he has Claire, Quil just thinks you're hot. But Paul, yeah, I'm sure he's got a thing for you. He's been trying to get in your pants since day one. And since you won't let him, he just hits on you. He likes you for the same reason as me. Except its not a like-like thing, it's more of a crush. We're not trying to chase Jake away or anything, we're just attracted to you I guess. . . . Does that make sense? You're basically off-limits."

Actually, it does. I know exactly what he's trying to say. Believe it or not, when I use to hang out with Quil on the beach, I noticed that he was taller than me and very well built. I actually started to _notice _Quil. I didn't like-like Quil, I just thought he looked really good. I liked that he actually had the balls to ask me to hang out with him. His body wasn't that bad either, Quil was good-looking. I guess you could say I was attracted to him in a way, I started hanging out with him every weekend. And maybe it was also because I haven't hung out with anyone in a long time. But like all good things go, we stopped hanging out because he started hanging out with Sam and the rest of the guys.

"Yeah. . . it does," I said, smiling up at him.

"Good," he said, pulling me into a hug.

"Embry, what are you doing?" I asked cautiously, returning his hug. This is so weird. I don't hug too often, and when I do, it's because I feel generous enough when people ask me permission.

"Your brother's waiting for you," he said, releasing me and nodding his head ahead.

"So?" What does my brother have to do with him hugging him me.

"So I'm gonna go," he laughed. "See you around, nerd."

"LOSER!" I yelled after him, as he ran away laughing.

I squinted my eyes at Seth's nearing figure and frowned. He looked so angry. The last time I saw Seth this mad was when Sam broke up with me. He was trembling head to toe. He was going to phase any minute.

"Leah," he said in a sharp voice.

I know he was trying his hardest to keep calm but he was failing miserably.

"What, Seth?" I asked worriedly.

"Someones here to see you," he said, balling his hands into fists.

"Who?" I asked curiously. Who would want to see me? No one besides the pack, the elders, and Charlie ever comes around here.

"If there are any problems, I want you to phase and call me, okay? I'll be in my wolf form," he said roughly, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Okay," I agreed, embracing him.

"Thank you," he said in relief.

"Seth, who's here?" I asked, starting to get annoyed.

"You'll see," he growled, as he walked into the forest. "Remember, phase if you need me."

"Ugh! Who the fuck is here to see me?!" I hissed to myself.

A familiar scent hit me and caught me off guard. I knew that scent, I would recognize it anywhere. I large silhouette appeared from behind Old Quil's house. I froze, not expecting this particular person to show himself in the area for a while. As his walking figure neared, I took in deep breaths to calm myself from screaming out in fury. His eyes were filled with tears.

"Hi Leah," he said in a saddened tone.

_**I didn't want us to burn out, I didn't come here to hurt you now I can't stop**_

I held my breath at the sight of his beautiful face. I wanted to hit him, I wanted to well up in tears, I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to hold him, I wanted to wipe every single tear of his and tell him everything was going to be okay. But I couldn't, none of that is going to happen. He's Bella's and he always will be. I took one last look at the face I've been craving to see and turned towards the forest.

"Leah, wait," he choked, grabbing my arm. I stopped dead in my tracks as the electricity ran up through my veins at his touch.

_**I want you to know, that it doesn't matter where we take this road, someone's gotta go**_

"What, Jake?" I whispered, not facing him.

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling me to his chest.

_**And I want you to know, you couldn't have loved me better, but I want you to move on**_

"It doesn't matter, I have to go," I said, pulling myself away.

"Leah -"

**_Looking at you makes it harder, but I know that you'll find another_**

"I can't do this anymore, Jake," I said, not caring anymore about the tears threatening to spill. Part of me was screaming, telling me that I was doing the wrong thing, and the other half was applauding me, telling me that I was doing the right thing.

_**That doesn't always make you wanna cry**_

"Lee, don't do this," he begged, grabbing hold of my hand.

**_It started with the perfect kiss then, we could feel the poison set in_**

"It's her, it's always been her. You love her and I'm not going to compete with that," I said, breaking away from his grip and running into the forest.

**_Perfect couldn't keep this love alive_**

I knew he wasn't following me. He wouldn't be able to catch me. I decided not to phase back. I'd give it some time before I let Seth know what happened. Jacob loves Bella and I'm just an object in the road that he can't get past. I'm willing to remove myself, to clear the road that he wants to take, I don't want to be responsible for someone else's heartache. When I found out the truth about why Sam broke up with me, I swore to myself that I would never fall for another shape-shifter. As you can see, I've failed. I let myself fall for Jacob Black, the suppose-to-be alpha, then went out with him and became an official item, and then. . . _not even going to finish that tough_. And alas, we find out that he's still pining over the leech-lover and wants nothing to do with me. I'm willing to put someone else in front of myself this time, I'm willing to take my pain in pride knowing that it will make Jacob happy. I don't want to be another damsel in distress like I was with Sam. I'm going to stay quiet about it and act like the adult I'm suppose to be. It can't be that hard right? Jacob doesn't want me, he wants Bella, he always has. Knowing Jacob, he's probably going to try to make things right and try to cheer me up, but he can't, how can he? He broke me. . . just like Sam had. . . except worse. He can't fix me now, I'm already gone.

_**You know that I love you so, I love you enough to let you go**_

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! How'd you like this chapter? I'm sorry I made Jake and Leah break up, but I had to in order to make my story flow :( But trust me, as the chapters go on, you guys will not be disappointed :) This is a Jake and Leah story, they're going to be together, I'm sure you all are aware of that ;) But please review, and tell me what you think! Oh, and the song is called Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson. You all should check it out, it's a really good song. Thanks! :D


	16. Pack Meeting

Chapter sixteen: Pack Meeting

* * *

**Leah's POV**

The pain is terrible. It's like someone was repeatedly punching a hole in my chest to make sure I wouldn't heal. I feel so numb on the outside, but hurt so much on the inside. I can't even fathom the incredible amount of pain I'm feeling, just thinking about it makes me want to collapse. How did I manage to get my heartbroken in less than a week? How can so much go down in such little time? I want to scratch at my skin, rip my hair out- anything that will get me to feel anything! I'd rather hurt physically on the outside than on the inside. Everything I do, everywhere I look, reminds me of him. It's like his presence is following me everywhere and I can't escape it, no matter how hard I try.

Suddenly everything seems foreign to me. I can't function without Jacob and I don't understand why. I used to be able to before, why am I all of a sudden lost? I can't go a minute without thinking of him. Everything about him draws me in; his eyes, his smile, his voice, his scent, his body, just. . . everything. I'm not going to lie and say that I don't miss him because that would be ridiculous. I miss him terribly and the fact that I know he'll always love the leech lover is like a slap to the face. And let me tell you, it's one hell of a slap. It's like fate has this logo stamped on top of it's forehead saying, "Leah shall be damned for all eternity." I mean shit, everything with Jacob was going so great until fate had to bring Bella back pregnant and snatch my one-time happiness away from me.

I know this isn't what I wanted, I know what I really want - really need - is Jacob. My whole body can't process without him. I literally feel like I'm slowly running out of oxygen. It's like my reason to live is fading away like our memories. It's so weird how I fell for him so quickly, so _easily._ I used to despise Jacob. Now look at me, I'm saying I can't live without him after dating him for what, a month? No, it hasn't even been a month. So why the hell did I fall for him so quickly? Doesn't it take more time to truly feel an attachment to someone? Why did I feel so attached to him? I felt more connected to him then I ever did with Sam and it's confusing as hell.

Seth took the news okay. He was expecting me to break up with Jacob, what he wasn't expecting though, was the tears. I spent an hour after the break up crying to myself before I phased and gave the okay to Seth. Once I phased, everything in the past two hours replayed in my mind for him to ponder on. He was surprised to see the tears from Jacob streaming down his face, he seemed genuinely concerned for his well-being. I knew Seth would feel sympathy for Jacob, he is his role model after all. He was relieved but disappointed and saddened about the breakup, which confused me. I told him to explain why he was disappointed about the whole thing, but he wouldn't tell me. Once I had asked him that, he phased back immediately, leading me to our house.

"Why can't you just tell me? What's the big deal?" I asked him angrily as I pushed the front door of our house open violently.

"Because, it's not. . . it's not important, alright?" he said in a sad voice, trailing in behind me.

"I don't care if it's not important! I want to know what's going on in that hard head of yours," I hissed.

"Maybe later, Leah. It's been a long day. . . I just want to forget today for a while, then I'll tell you okay?"

I felt bad, he really sounded disappointed and tired. I didn't want to force anything out of him, but what choice did I have? I wanted to know what was up with my brother, and if that meant forcing him to give me answers, then so be it.

I sat on the couch where Jacob and I had fallen asleep last and patted the seat next to me for Seth to sit.

"Promise?" I asked, feeling even more like a bitch.

"I promise," he sighed, taking a seat. "Let's go to Embry's."

"Why, what for?" I asked skeptically.

"Well first off, he's your partner."

"What does that -"

"Secondly," he interrupted. "Sam is holding a meeting at his house tonight and he can't walk alone."

"He walked home by himself today," I argued, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, and we're walking with him to the meeting because we don't want to get into any more trouble."

"More trouble? What are you talking about?" I asked, curiously. How can we be in more trouble with Sam if we didn't do anything? I swear, that jackass just finds random reasons to yell at me.

"He caught Embry walking by himself," he said, shaking his head slightly.

"How do you know?"

"When you went into the forest after talking to Jake, I waited for you for like an hour and Sam phased in giving me a lecture about how I was being irresponsible making you leave Embry's side to talk to Jake."

That fucking prick. Seriously, the bastard should be jumping in glee that Jacob and I aren't on good terms at the moment. And he yells at my brother for letting me talk my problems through with Jacob? What the fuck did Sam expect me to do?

"Asshole," I muttered.

"My words exactly," Seth agreed.

He leaned back into the couch and laid his head back, closing his eyes. "Leah?"

"Hmm?"

"It's gonna rain later tonight, you should go put on a hoodie or some sweats or something," he said with his eyes still shut.

"I guess. You want me to bring one down for you?" I asked, getting up from the couch with a sigh and making my way for the stairs.

"Yeah."

I searched around my room for a hoodie or sweatshirt, anything that had long sleeves. I looked at the bottom of my drawers and found my old Quileute High School hoodie. I slipped it on and found it warm and comfortable. It looked good on me too, I barely wore it when I bought it so the color wasn't too faded or anything. I looked under my bed for some decent looking sweat pants, I was getting tired of wearing jeans. I just want to be comfortable tonight, I need to wear something that'll slip off easily. I wasn't having any luck finding any sweats at all. So I did the only thing left to do: raid Seth's drawers for sweats.

It's funny how Seth's drawers were filled with sweats and I couldn't find one in my entire room. Seth literally had a drawer full of sweats. I grabbed a random pair and slipped it on and stared at it curiously. It had "Quileute High Football" written on the left side of the sweats in big bold letters. It matched my hoodie, to say the least, but since when did Seth ever play football? I thought he was a basketball player.

I shrugged my shoulders and went for his closet in search of a hoodie for him. I pulled a random hoodie off its hanger and made my way out of his room and down the stairs.

"Here," I said, throwing the hoodie at him.

"Sweet, you brought me my favorite hoodie," he said, pulling it over his head.

Seth was a Huskies fan, he loved everything about the University of Washington. He saved 40 bucks for two weeks just to buy himself a hoodie from the college. I hated to burst his bubble but I was an Oregon Ducks fan. Even if I do live in Washington it doesn't change the fact that Oregon dominates!

"Whatever," I say, rolling my eyes. "Let's go."

"Wait," he said grabbing my arm. "Those pants. . . they aren't mine. . . just thought I should let you know. . ."

Wait, what? "Then who the hell do they belong to?"

"I, uh, I don't exactly, uhmm. . . know. . ."

"What?! So you mean this could belong to any one of them?!" I snapped.

He lifted his arm to scratch the back of his neck nervously, "well yeah. . . it might belong to Jared or Quil 'cause they were the ones who brought me extra clothes when I first phased. . . . so yeah."

Well, fuck. Let's just hope this shit belongs to Jared 'cause I do not feel like getting sexually harassed by Quil Ateara.

"Whatever, I don't care, lets just go," I growled, storming out of the house.

* * *

"So he actually yelled at you for walking alone?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, he's all paranoid about the leeches going after the imprints now, so he took out his frustration of not being by Emily's side on me," he snorted.

"That sucks, man. If he's that paranoid, imagine how Quil and Jared are," Seth said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Hey Leah - woah!"

"What, Embry?" I asked irritated. I knew exactly what he was referring to. He was staring right at the sweat pants I was wearing.

"I recognize those!" he said excitedly.

"Who, do they belong to?" I asked, slowly enunciating every word.

"I'm not sure, I think it's either Jared's, Quil's, or Paul's. They're the only ones I know that played football."

"Jared, Quil, or Paul?" I groaned.

Embry nodded, stiffling a laugh, while Seth looked annoyed.

"Yeah, well let's hope it belongs to Jared," Seth huffed, crossing his arms.

Sometimes I just want to pinch Seth's cheeks. It's adorable when he's all protective, but you know, it can kinda be a pain. I AM older than him after all. He doesn't need to act like my dad.

"Yeah, you and me both," I agreed. This shit better not belong to Quil or Paul. Perverts.

"So," Embry said loudly, clearly trying to ease the tension, "that's a nice hoodie Seth."

"Thanks," Seth said, grinning.

"Too bad they suck," Embry finished.

"You think the Huskies suck?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yep, I know I live here and everything but I'm a Trojan's fan. It's all about USC, their record is good, they're ranked pretty high, I like them."

"I guess they're alright, but I'm all about the Ducks," I say, slipping my hands into my pockets.

"You know, the Huskies aren't all that bad," Seth argues, trying to defend his team. And his state. Ha!

"Yes, actually they are. They aren't even in the top 25," I snort.

"Oh yeah?" Seth argues, crossing his arms.

"Yeah," I say, shrugging like it's old news.

"If Oregon is _so _good, then where do they stand?" Seth challenges, a smile appearing on his face.

"Top 5, baby bro," I laugh, giving him a toothy grin which he returns.

"I didn't know you liked football," Embry said, looking at me with curious eyes.

"Yeah, I used to watch it with. . . . never mind, yeah I like it. . . basketball is cool too, I guess."

"Really? What's your favorite NBA team?" he asks, smiling widely. Of course he would, basketball is Embry's favorite sport. If he wasn't talking about math, he used to talk to me about basketball. He's pretty good too, I've seen him play against Sam and his friends once and they won. It totally ruined Sam's ego, but he got over it and applauded Embry's skills.

"I'm not gonna say the Lakers, 'cause everyone sweats them, so either the Magic or Nuggets," I say, shrugging.

"Orlando and Denver? Really? How 'bout you Seth?"

"I'm gonna go with the Celtics," Seth says, sounding like a proud mother.

"I like the Trail Blazers," Embry says casually. "They struggle but have a lot of heart."

"Yeah, Brandon Roy is a master at shooting," I say, nodding my head. "Did you know they're going to the playoffs?"

"Of course I do. And now you can thank me for taking your mind off of stressful things, 'cause now we're at Sam's," Embry smirks.

I look at my surroundings and what do you know, we are at Sam's. I'm gonna have to thank Embry later for bringing up random questions about sports teams. Seth is the first to enter, and I go in after him but am pulled back by Embry. I turn around to face him and cock an eyebrow at his grinning figure.

"What?" I asked, annoyed with his cocky expression.

"I told you, you were different from most girls," he chuckles.

"Because I like sports?" I ask.

"Because you like sports," he repeats, nodding his head. "The girls here wouldn't go that deep into a conversation about football and basketball."

"Uhmm, thanks?" I say stupidly. Honestly, what can I say to that?

"Keep your head up, Leah," he chuckles, pushing me into the house.

Everyone is here and seated. Including Jacob. I don't look at him because I can feel his eyes burning a hole through my back. Jared motions me over to him and makes room for me on the couch.

"Nice sweats," he whispers in my ear.

"Shut up, they aren't mine. I have no idea who they belong to," I hiss, elbowing him.

"Relax, Lee, they're mine. Who did you think they belonged to?" he laughs, leaning back into the sofa.

YES! YES! YES! Oh my God, thank goodness they don't belong to the latter two. Jeez, I feel like we need a hallelujah chorus singing right now to show my appreciation. Whoo!

"Seth and Embry told me they either belonged to you, Paul, or Quil," I say in disgust, I even went as far as shivering to prove my anxiety.

He laughs quietly, and pulls out his phone to reply to a text from Kim. Seriously, Kim is quiet and everything but, she gives clingy a whole new meaning. It's like she's permanently attached to Jared's hip, which would be a plus for him but still, it gets kind of annoying. Same with Sam and Emily, not so much Quil and Claire, but she's a kid, and that'll eventually grow. It's just weird to me, I would never cling to someone in that way, I mean, unless my soul mate or whatever was suddenly going to die, I'd stay joined to him every minute of everyday, but other then that, I'd give him his space. The imprinters like the clingyness though, so I won't stay on that thought too much, it'll just irritate me more.

"Why are you so tense?" Jared whispers, placing his hand on my shoulder. "You okay, Lee?"

"Yeah," I say, a little too quickly.

"What's wrong, Lee?" he asks in a stern voice, resembling my fathers.

"You'll find out later, I'm sure," I say darkly, stuffing my hands in my pockets and leaning back into the sofa comfortably.

Sam stands up and starts to speak, but I don't hear anything. I'm busy trying to determine whether or not I should risk a glance at _him_ or not. It takes a while for me to single out the odds but I eventually muster up enough courage to actually look at him. To my dismay, he's staring right back at me with sorrowful, pleading eyes. It takes all my self-restraint to keep myself from running over to him and holding him. He looks so disheveled, broken, and. . . lost. He's almost like an emotional replica of myself. It's scary, it almost seems as if he actually cares about me.

"I'm sorry," he mouths.

I look down in discomfort and furrow my brows. I can't let him get to me. I can't cry, not here, not now. I can't. . . I can't set myself up for heartache again. Especially with a person who loves a soon-to-be-parasite.

"Leah?" Sam calls, in an irritated tone.

"What?" I snap, mimicking his tone.

"Can you repeat what I had just said?" he asks, crossing his arms. What the hell? Does he think he's my teacher or something? That's what my English teacher used to ask me when I spaced out in class.

"Me, you, Embry, and Paul, patrol tomorrow night at midnight," Jared whispers to me far too quietly for anyone else to hear.

Well, at least he didn't put me with Jacob.

"You want me, Jared, Embry, and Paul to patrol at midnight tomorrow," I say, giving him an innocent smile.

Yeah, take that bitch.

"Oh, okay, I guess you were listening," he says, dumbly. "I guess we're done here, c'mon boys. There's food in the fridge for the rest of you if you want, help yourself. And don't make noise, Emily's asleep."

Alright, alpha dear. I'll be sure to wreck your house and blast the stereo while you're gone, that'll wake up your precious fiance.

"Well, time to go," I say in a sing-song voice, ignoring Jacob's still-staring figure.

"Wait," Jared grabs my arm, "where are you going? Sam says we have to stay here until tomorrow."

"What?" I growl.

"It was an order. Sam, Jake, Quil, and Seth are patrolling tonight. The rest of us are here 'till morning."

"Motherfucker," I hiss, hoping Sam hears it.

I sit back down and lie my head back roughly and shut my eyes. Jared nudges my side and calls my name.

"What?"

"Jake wants to talk to you," he says.

"Oh." Fuck. Now what do I do?

"He looks like he's in pain."

I sigh, lean forward, and open my eyes unwillingly to look across the room at him.

"I miss you," he whispers, but I hear it anyway. Which of course, means everyone in the room also hears it.

I blink twice, not responding. He tries again.

"Take me back, please?" he says in an softer tone.

Just what the hell is he doing? Is he not aware of the other people in the room staring at him with wide eyes? I would _never_ ask someone to take me back in front of other people - let alone _friends. _Is he trying to prove something by asking something as humiliating and risky as _that_ in public? Even with my anger at the nerve he has of asking me such a question in public I can't help but feel a little pleased.

"Leah, I l-" Jacob's cut off by Embry's hand. Embry's hand is shut tightly over Jacob's mouth, refusing to let him finish his sentence.

I'm not going to lie, hearing Jacob's voice was actually sending shivers down my spine.

I heard the beginning of what Jacob had said before he was cut off by Embry. Was he going to tell me that he loves me? Because that would've been a dream come true and it would also be a complete nightmare. Why would he go through all the trouble to tell me that he loves me and then go running back to Bella Cullen? How inconsiderate can he be? Does he not realize that he's hurting me? Shoot, does he even _care_ that he's hurting me? Or does he think that telling me that he loves me will solve his issues with me and skip right on back to the pregnant bitch?

Embry gives me a look of understanding and nods sadly. He obviously felt bad about his best friend getting dropped. But Embry understands.

"C'mon bro, they're waiting for you outside," Embry says in a sad voice, still keeping his hand firmly over Jacob's mouth.

I turn towards Jared and open my mouth to explain, but he cuts me off saying: "It's okay Lee, I know."

Jacob refuses to listen to Embry, pushing him off, and makes his way towards me. Jared pulls me to him, earning a frightening growl from Jacob.

"What are you doing, Jake? Sam's waiting!" Jared scolds.

I see the tremors on his body start to shake, and that's when I decide I should step in.

"Jake," I say quietly. The shaking automatically stops, and he looks at me with hopeful eyes.

"Sam's waiting for you," I finish. His shoulders slump and he shuts his eyes tightly for a second before opening them again to meet my eyes.

"It's really over?" he asks sadly.

I looked away, not wanting to look in his eyes. When I didn't answer he spoke, "I'm so sorry, Leah."

As soon as he walked out the door and hit the forest, I blew out a gust of air I didn't realize I was holding.

"Whoa! That was intense," Paul comments, shaking his head.

Wow. Paul managed to keep his big mouth shut through our little scene. That's a first. Let's hope he stays that way.

"Shut up, Paul. C'mon Lee, get some rest," Jared said, leaving the couch so I could lie down completely.

"Wait, why does Sam want us here?" I ask, irritated by the fact that I was actually going to be spending the night at his house.

"Because once they're off patrol, his group is going to gather up all the imprints and bring them here. That way we can go on patrol and not worry about the imprints being ambushed," Jared explained.

"That's stupid, why didn't he just have us bring the imprints here?" I ask.

"I know right, I asked him the same thing!" Paul said, as he flipped through the channel on the television.

"And what'd he say?" I asked.

"He wants us to get some rest so we can be on full alert on patrol," Embry answered.

"That's it?" I asked skeptically.

"Yeah, pretty much," Jared snorted. "I think that was the shortest meeting we've ever had."

"Well, whatever. I'm going to bed now," I yawned, and stretched out my arms.

"Here," Paul said, tossing me a pillow, "goodnight."

"Thanks, goodnight. If any of you are awake by dawn, wake me up."

"Will do, goodnight," Embry said.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, nothing exciting really happened in this chapter but I had to give the wolves a break. Review, please :) Sorry it isn't as long as most my chapters, but I tried :D Ohh, and about the sports thing, I really DO love the Oregon Ducks, I'm from Oregon, so yeah, it's my team =) And the Trail Blazers are my favorite team as well. =)


	17. Decisions

Chapter seventeen: Decisions

* * *

**Jacob POV**

_C'mon man, get your head in the game, _Quil said, interrupting my train of thought.

_Sure, sure, _I replied back.

He turned his giant wolfy head towards me and gave me a reassuring nod.

Leah, the_ one girl_ that I was actually attracted to when I was in love with Bella. The one girl that put me in my place when I was out of line. The only girl that can see past my ego and can put a goofy grin on my face for no absolute reason at all, is gone. All because I had to open my big ass mouth. Dad always told me I had a big mouth and that I should learn how to tame it before it gets me in trouble. I never took him seriously because the only person I wanted to form a relationship with at the time was Bella and she seemed fine with my big mouth. But things have changed: Bella's married and I want Leah.

I'm in love with Leah. At least I think I am. If this gaping hole that's forming chest from our separation isn't convincing enough that I am falling in love with her, than I don't know what to tell you. I don't want Bella anymore because let's face it - she's married and it's obvious to everyone that she will always choose that leech over me. Even so, Bella will always be my best friend - nothing will change that, we have a history together. I didn't mean to snap at Leah like I had in the hospital but I was scared that Bella was in danger, that the thing growing inside of her was slowly killing her. She may want to be an undead freak but that doesn't mean I want to see her getting killed inside out by that spawn. I was coming up with a million different scenarios of what could go wrong with the Bella situation - each one of them ended with her dead and torn apart. I was flipping out and I took that anger out on Leah because I knew she and Bella didn't exactly see eye to eye. And now she - along with the rest of the pack - are convinced that I'm still in love with Bella. But I don't. I love Leah. I'm sure of it. I want Leah to hear me tell her I love her. I wanted to yell it across the room at her during the pack meeting but I couldn't. And when I was about to tell her, Embry stopped me. Why? Isn't that what she wanted? Didn't she want to hear those words come out of my mouth? Or was it too soon?-

_It's way too soon, man, _Quil said quietly, mentally shaking his head to give me a vision of how bad of an idea it was.

_You think?_

_Jacob! Now is not the time!,_ Sam ordered, growling in my head.

_I can't control my thoughts _Sam_, _I snapped back, sneering his name.

_Try, _he warned.

_Nice, real nice Sam. It's not like you ever tried to control your thoughts. You think any of us wants to know what Emily tastes like? _I growled.

That egotistical bastard! The mighty almighty fucking alpha thinks channeling thoughts is such an easy thing to do. The hypocrite doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about. I haven't even gone into mental images of Leah and here he is telling me that I can't even _think _about my relationship with her when he's over there trotting his happy ass over to Emily's house of pancakes.

_Jacob, _he warned. _Now is not the time. Cool it._

_So showing us exactly how you felt Emily up is okay for anytime during patrol? _I argued back angrily.

_That's different! _he roared.

_The hell it is! _I snarled.

_Okay, Jacob, enlighten me. What are you gonna do when you confess to Leah your love for her and she turns and walks away? What if you imprint?!_

_For the last motherfucking time, I'M NOT YOU!_

_You cannot be with her! _he bellowed out angrily. It wasn't an order, but it almost sounded like it was.

_And why the fuck not, Sam? Why don't YOU enlighten _me_ this time! _

He seemed to be stumbling over how to retort back. Good. That's exactly what I wanted. He can't answer my question, but either way, I know the real reason why: in his eyes, Leah still belongs to him. To sensitive, understanding guys, knowing the truth would be the sign to back down, but I'm neither of those. I'm cocky and arrogant and seeing the truth actually displaying in his head without actually hearing him say it infuriates me even more. I mean how the hell does he come off thinking that Leah is still his after all the crap he's put her through? She's _not_ his.

_She's not yours either, _Seth snapped, interrupting my on-going rant.

I could feel the shock coming from Sam and Quil hearing Seth's harsh response. They were both interested in what Seth was going to say to me, so they decided to keep quiet and listen in. Stupid eavesdroppers.

_Seth. . . _

I couldn't respond back to what he had just said. How am I suppose to say something smart back to the little brother of the girl I want? He also happens to be making a very goddamn good point. I can't, so I'm going to hold my head high and walk on with what dignity I have left.

_Let it go, Jake. It's over. Done. Move on. _Seth wasn't talking in his usual cheerful tone. No, this was his father's voice leaking through. It didn't sound like happy-go-lucky Seth. This Seth sounded more deep. More serious. And believe it or not. . . kind of creepy. I get that the kid is protecting his sister, and I understand that I had gone back on my word of never hurting her, but. . . I love her. I've told him that I love her, is that not enough for him?

_I don't believe it. It's too early on in the relationship and you're confused. You don't mean it, _he shot back.

_Yes I do! Why is it so hard to believe?! _I growled in frustration.

_Because it's too early on in the relationship! It hasn't even been a month, Jacob! You're trying to figure out ways of getting her back without even realizing it! Let. It. Go._

_Sam and Emily? Jared and Kim? They fell in love instantly! _I snapped, regretting my words instantly,

Seth came up from behind me, walking over to me at a normal pace with a hurt look on his face. It's crazy how well we're all able to read each others facial expressions even in wolf form. We all know each other too well for our own damn good. Once he was in front of me, he stood up straight, straightening his back and flattened his ears to his skull, looking me dead in the eyes.

_You don't love her, Jake. You only_ think _you do. You've convinced yourself that you do because you want to be better then Sam. You wanted to fall in love with her _faster_ then Sam did. This isn't a game, Jake, this is my sister. Leah doesn't deserve to be treated with lies._ Seth spoke with such conviction that it actually embarrassed me to look him in the eye.

_Sorry man, but the kids right, _Quil said sadly.

_Jacob _-

I will not let Sam continue his sentence. I don't want to put up with him right now. He doesn't deserve to talk. Not to me, not to Leah, not to anyone!

_Jacob, _he tried again.

NO! I will not sit here and listen to him sympathize with me. I need to get away. Now.

_C'mon, bro, don't do that, _Quil whined.

_Don't leave, Jake, _Seth pleaded, whimpering at my side.

No, I won't fall for the guilt trap. Just don't look them in the eye. Just turn around and run as fast as you can.

And that's what I did. I ran like I've never ran before, passing trees in a blur, ignoring the shouts of protests from Quil and Seth. They're chasing after to me, but there's no way they can catch up. I can hear my heart pounding rapidly, it's beating faster and faster with every stride I take. I feel like I've lost all humanity, all thoughts going on in my head is slowly disappearing as I move past the forest trees like a blur. I can feel my instincts kick in, I'm letting the animal in me take over. My eyes glaze over in fury as I hear the distant echos of my "brothers" calling out to me in plea, but I ignore them. I need time to clear my head and figure things out. But where the fuck am I going to go? I'm about halfway out of the forest. Where the hell can I find a place where the others can't find me?

The Cullens.

* * *

**Edward POV**

I hear Alice's high-pitched gasp from downstairs and I focus in on her thoughts. I see nothing, everything in her mind is a blur. I can't make out the images. The frustration from her and myself hit Jasper at full force and he's left with no choice but to throw a wave of calm through us.

"Thanks," I tell him gratefully, nodding to him in appreciation.

"No problem," Jasper replies, engulfing Alice in his arms.

"What is it? What did you see?" he asks her in a soft voice.

"Nothing. I saw nothing! Something is blocking my vision!" Alice whines in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose.

_What can possibly block her visions?_ Jasper thought, giving her a gentle squeeze.

I found myself asking the same exact question as Jasper. What can possibly block Alice's visions? We know the presence of the Quileute shape-shifters blur the images of Alice's visions, making it impossible to figure out the vision going on in her head. But that's not something we can look toward. After all, what would the shape-shifters be doing near our premises? They don't want anything to do with us. That is unless Jacob Black found out Bella and I are back. Still, if he had already found out, wouldn't he have arrived to visit Bella earlier?

_- the bloodsucker better not have bit her or there will be hell to pay._

Jacob.

Apparently I was wrong. He did find out, and boy is he angry. From the corner of my eye I saw Jasper stiffen and take a protective stance in front of Alice. There was anger, sadness, and frustration emanating off of Jacob. Though he was about a half a mile away, I could hear his thoughts, and Jasper could feel his emotions.

_Edward, which one of them is it? _Jasper asked stiffly.

"It's Jacob," I answered, waiting for the door to bust open by an angry overgrown Quileute teenager.

"Wait, so it's one of _them_? Is that the reason why I can't see anything?" Alice asked angrily.

"Yes, and yes," I answered nonchalantly. I didn't mean to be so blunt, but I was trying to get a good read on what was going on in Jacob's head. I saw three big things - people actually - that circulated his mind. The rest of his thoughts were almost too animalistic to understand. The three people circulating his mind were Leah, Bella, and Seth. Whatever had to do with Leah, was ruined by Bella. And whatever had to do with Seth was ruined by Jacob because of what happened with Leah and Bella. That's all I could make out from his mind. Everything in his head was changing at such a fast pace it was tiring trying to keep up with it.

_Knock, knock, bloodsucker! I know you hear me! _Jacob was all but well-mannered.

"Carlisle!" I called out.

Carlisle was down the stairs in a second giving me a questioning look. Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett trailed behind making their way down the stairs at a human pace, giving me the same look Carlisle was giving me.

"What is it, son?" Carlisle asked.

"We have company," I said, just before the door flew open to reveal a filthy, sweaty, and horrible-smelling Jacob.

"I think you have the wrong place, _dog_. The groomers are located in Port Angeles," Rosalie sneered, attempting to piss off an already infuriated Jacob. It worked.

"Emmett, why don't you do us all a favor and shove your dick in blondie's mouth? Maybe that'll get her to shut the hell up," he growled, baring his teeth.

"Mutt!" Rosalie snarled. "How dare you!"

Before Rosalie could make a move to attack, Carlisle stepped between them and had Emmett escort Rosalie elsewhere.

"This isn't over, pongo," Rosalie said, venomously.

Alice, who has been awfully quiet, remained in her spot behind a very stiff Jasper, watching the interaction between Jacob and Rosalie with a blank expression. Her thoughts were blank, and all I heard from her mind was a light buzzing sound.

"Good, I've been needing someone to work my pimp-hand on, anyways," Jacob shot back.

It was a derogatory remark made to my sister, and I didn't appreciate it one bit. Sure, Rose can be a pain sometime - most of the time - but that doesn't mean I don't love her. She is my sister after all. Even if Rose wasn't my sister, I would've been angry with Jacob for saying such a thing. Women should not be spoken to like that, especially if a man is talking about using his "pimp-hand" on a woman. That's a very harsh thing to say to a woman. Then again, Rose can probably come up with something just as vile as what Jacob just said. She's married to Emmett after all.

"What do you want, Jacob?" I asked, annoyed.

"Like you don't know," Jacob spat.

"I don't. Your thoughts were going too fast for me to keep up." I wasn't exactly lying. I was telling half of the truth.

"I want to see Bella," Jacob said angrily. "That is, if she's still alive."

"No, absolutely not. You can't go in right now," I said defiantly.

I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm prepared though, this is my house, Bella is my wife, he's on our property, and our side of land. This goes my way. I don't want him to lose control at the sight of her and phase. What if he kills her? My precious, sweet, wife. It's bad enough I've gotten her pregnant with a specie that no one has ever come face-to-face with, I don't want to risk her life by letting her temperamental _best friend _in.

"Where the hell is she, Cullen?" Jacob roared.

"Edward," Jasper called out calmly. "Let him see her."

Excuse me? "What?"

"Let him see her," he repeated. _Come on, Edward. Just let him in and see her. You can go with him just to be safe. T__he sooner he sees her, the sooner he leaves._

As much as I hate Jasper right now, I know he's right.

"Fine, but I'm going in with you," I said through clenched teeth.

"I really don't give a fuck, Cullen. Just let me see her." _That way I can go back and see Le-_

His thoughts immediately changed to something that was on television last week. Jacob is seeing someone. Is this someone Leah? Leah Clearwater?

"I'm not gay, bloodsucker. Stop staring at me," Jacob snapped, annoyed that he almost let whatever he's hiding slip.

"Right," I said with a smirk, leading the way up the stairs and to the first room on the left.

The door was closed, but I could hear the faint breaths coming from Bella through the door. I turned to Jacob and cocked an eyebrow at him, wondering why he hasn't opened the door yet.

"Do you still want to go in?" I asked.

"Yes," he snapped. _Oh shit, what if she's dying? What if the kid kills her? What the hell am I supposed to do? Why the fuck does she want to keep the stupid spawn?_

"I don't know," I sighed, sinking in agreement with every thought he was processing.

"What?" he asked, furrowing his brows. He seemed to be surprised that I wasn't happy with the fact that she was weak and fragile.

"I didn't marry her to kill her, Jacob," I said angrily. "I don't like the fact that I'm the reason she's in this state."

"Then take it out of her! Give her an abortion!" he said in frustration. _Why the fuck is it so hard to take the kid out? His dad is a fucking doctor for Christ's sake!_

"I can't just perform an abortion on her, Jacob. I need her permission first," I said, clenching my fists at his immaturity.

"Who gives a flying fuck about permission -"

"Jacob, why don't you just go in and see her? Then we can talk." The sooner he saw Bella, the sooner we can sort this whole thing out and he can leave.

He placed a shaky hand on the door knob, twisted it, and pushed. There she was, lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully. It hasn't even been a month and she already looks 7 months pregnant. Her breathing was low and her heart rate was beating rapidly, probably because of the extra pounding from the fetus inside.

I looked into Jacob's mind and was surprised by what I saw. He was actually a knowledgeable person about pregnancy.

_Why is she so big? I thought they had just found out that she was pregnant, how can she look like she's due any day now? Maybe something went wrong with her uterus, and her stomach just swelled up. Yeah, that would explain the purple spots around her stomach. Or maybe she had a miscarriage, that would explain the pain -if she has any pains, that is. But why would she start having pains, she's not even a month pregnant. I thought women started to feel pain and the baby kicking when the fetus actually starts to form._

All of his questions, were questions every single one of my family has asked. The answers? We have none. But we have theories, for instance, we're guessing that the fetus is growing at a fast rate because it's half vampire.

"Bella," he whispered, taking hold of one of her fragile hands in his.

_I can't believe how incredibly stupid she's being. Getting knocked up by a vampire and wanting to keep the stupid demon child._

Normally, I would have been angry with Jacob's thoughts. But I can't find myself to be angry with him at the moment. Not counting his name-calling at my wife.

"Bella," he whispered again, attempting to get her to wake up.

Her eyes fluttered open, and locked with his. A weak smile slowly spread across her face as she took in his appearance.

"Hey Jake," she greeted weakly.

"Hey Bells," he said shakily.

"How are you?" she asked in a quiet voice.

_Is she serious? _"Aw, come on Bella, don't play that with me!"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, shocked by his sudden anger.

"Bella, don't worry about me. You know damn well that I'm not happy about the stupid thing growing inside of you. I want to know how you are."

"Stop, Jake. Stop it. This is my baby, I love him." Her words were soft, and spoken very weakly. She rested her hands carefully on top of her round stomach in a motherly fashion and gave Jacob another weak smile.

_Oh, so she know's its sex?! I thought you couldn't find that out until the kid actually forms! What the fuck?!_

"Bella, it's killing you! Don't you understand that?!" Jacobs frustration kept building and building. Sooner or later, his irritation will go over board and he'll have to step outside. _Why the fuck is it so hard for her to process that MAJOR factor? She's going to die out of stupidity! _

I shook my head in disagreement, but neither of them seemed to notice. Jacob thinks I'm just going to let Bella die. Does he really think that lowly of me? Yes, he does. He doesn't believe that I can actually love. How stubborn can he be? Doesn't he understand the reason I left for Volterra was because I wanted to die in order to be reunited with Bella once again? I, of course, didn't know she wasn't actually dead, but my sister told me otherwise.

"No he won't. I believe I'm going to make it, and if I don't, Edward will change me," she said, speaking the last part so quietly it was almost inaudible. But of course, everyone in the house had heard.

_Change her?! _"Change you?!" he growled, balling his hands into fists.

"Jake - OH!" A light thud was heard from inside her womb, and that meant the fetus was hungry.

I was by her side in an instant, placing a calming hand on her stomach and squeezing one of her hands with my free one.

"It'll be alright, honey. I'll call someone to get you something to drink," I whispered in her ear quietly, wanting to ease the pain from her stomach.

"Bella! Are you alright?!" It's amazing how quickly Jacob's emotions went from fury to fear. He was clutching Bella's other hand in both of his, occasionally kissing it.

"I'm fine, Jake. And please, Edward, that'd be nice," she said, nodding slightly.

"Carlisle!" I called out, loud enough for him to hear, but not too loud that it would damage Bella's hearing.

"Wait. . ." Jacob is perceptive, I'll give him that. My words to Bella were repeating itself over and over again in his head. "_I'll call someone to get you something to drink."_

"What?" I asked slowly, knowing exactly what he was going to ask.

"What exactly do you mean by _drink_?" he asked cautiously, narrowing his eyes at me.

_This leech better not say blood_!

"Exactly what you don't want it to be," I said smartly, shrugging my shoulders like it was nothing knew.

"You son of a bi -"

Two light knocks interrupted Jacob's swearing, and Carlisle entered the room with a cup and a straw. I could smell the blood from inside of the cup, and apparently so could Jacob. Jacob wrinkled his nose in disgust, and eyed the cup like it was a fatal disease.

"Here you go, Bella," Carlisle said, gently handing her the cup and straw.

"Thanks, Carlisle," Bella breathed, sticking the straw in the cup and sucking it down.

_She used to faint at the sight of blood and now she's drinking it! She's becoming more like them everyday._

The cup was empty in a matter of 30 seconds. The fetus must have been really hungry if Bella was able to suck down all that blood so quickly.

"Thanks, Carlisle," Bella said, sighing in satisfaction. The color in her skin was slightly coming back to replace her sickly yellowish skin.

"You're welcome, dear. Is there anything else I can get you? How are you feeling?" Carlisle asked, giving her a small smile.

"No, thanks. I'm feeling much better now, thanks."

_Oh, puh-lease! _"She wants an abortion," Jacob said, rolling his eyes at my angry wife.

"Jacob!" Bella scolded.

"She does, she's just going through a phase right now and can't think for herself," he challenged, fury blazing in his eyes.

"I'm afraid that decision is up to Bella, Jacob," Carlisle said, guiltily as he left the room.

"Jake, please. This is mine and Edward's baby. He's a part of me, I love him," Bella said, on the verge of tears.

I was suddenly angry with Jacob for bringing sadness to my Bella. Sure, I understand where he is coming from, but there is no way, under any circumstances that he can make my wife cry. Everyone in my family is aware that the growing fetus might kill Bella, but we're all here to protect Bella from any harm, and right now, that harm is Jacob. Even if it's not physical harm, it's emotionally painful. And that's the worse kind of pain to deal with because you can't escape from your own mind.

Jacob didn't answer her, and the only thing going on in his head were three clear words: _what the fuck_? He clearly didn't understand how a baby that was half vampire could mean so much. But what made things even worse for him were Bella's next words.

"I'm going to name him after you and Edward," Bella said quietly, slightly blushing.

_No way in hell is she going use MY name to name her stupid spawn. _"You are not going to name that abomination after me," he growled.

"Fine, Jacob. If that's how your going to be, maybe you should just leave," Bella said defiantly, crossing her arms stubbornly. I can tell she wanted to cry. She was putting all her effort into not crying in front of him, and that was crossing the line.

"You know what, Bella? That's a good idea. I don't want to sit here and watch you die a slow miserable death," Jacob said venomously.

"I'm not going to die!" Bella yelled exasperatedly.

_Yeah, right. _"Whatever, Bella. Have fun with your demon child, I'm out."

Jacob stormed out of the room in aggravation. He was trying to hurt Bella in order for her to see the reality behind her stubbornness, but he failed to do so. The tremors on his back were shaking as he stormed past us. I listened for his footsteps, and once he was out the front door, I heard a long, hard, howl.

"Jake," Bella sobbed, letting the tears she was trying so desperately to hold in, cascade down her face.

I wrapped my arms around her round figure and rocked her back and forth, kissing the top of her head every so often.

"He hates me, Edward. I ruined our friendship," she sobbed into my chest.

"He'll be back," I whispered into her ear reassuringly. And I'm sure of it. Jacob Black will definitely be back.

* * *

**Jacob POV**

How stupid can she be? The thing is killing her and she's okay with it. That's _so _Bella. She always is, and always will be, the naive _human._ But, not for long. She believes she's going to make it through. How can she trust the bloodsucker to bite her without draining her clean? Is she really going to be that ignorant? And what about Charlie, what is she going to do about him? Is she just going to leave him in the dark? Hasn't she thought about that? And what about me? Surely she still holds a place in her heart for me, right? I still care about Bella, but do I still actually love her? That very question leads me to my next: do I really love Leah? I can't answer either of them, because I honestly don't know. But how can I find my answers if I have to choose between the two? On one hand, I have Bella, who was my first love, who is married and pregnant, but never exactly was my girlfriend. Bella's my best friend and she needs me more then ever now because she's pregnant and might be facing death soon. Then I have Leah, who I think I have strong feelings for and can turn my day around entirely. She's a member of the pack and is a girl that has been through the same heartbreak as me. How the hell do I choose between these two girls? On one hand, I have my best friend, and on the other hand I have a girl I'm falling hard for that understands me in more ways than one. I want to be there to protect Bella, and I want to prove to Leah that I am that one person that she can count on, someone that actually loves her for her, and not because of some stupid bonding mistake we call imprinting.

How can I make up my mind at a time like this? Who the hell am I suppose to pick? What the fuck do I do?

* * *

**Author's Note: **OMG! I am so so so so so sorry that it took two weeks to update. But I've been busy with finals, Halloween, and my mom's birthday. I'm sorry it was such a long wait, but I did try to update as fast as I could. Forgive me guys, I'm two weeks late. Please review and tell me what you think.

This is for "guurrl": What are you, like five? Grow up. I've told you before, and will tell you again, **I don't give a fuck what you do. **No ones going to listen to you. Geez, have some patience will you? It's not like I'm going to just drop the story or anything, I have a life too you know.


	18. Defiance

Chapter eighteen: Defiance

* * *

**Leah POV**

I swear, there's a meeting, like, every 10 minutes of my life. Sam obviously thinks no one in the pack besides him has a life, meaning he can call us out whenever he damn pleases. And no, I really don't give a rats ass if he's the alpha. He needs to understand that some people need to rest. I mean, I could be doing all sorts of things right now. I could be - well no, that's a lie - there's absolutely nothing here I can do. It's either patrol, meeting, eat, and sleep. Come to think of it, that_ is_ what I do on a daily basis. Wow, my life really does suck. How pathetic.

First I end up falling in love with a guy through high school, only to have my heart broken by him because he magically fell in love with my cousin - my sister.  
Then out of nowhere, I literally turn into a bitch and cause my father - who was the only person left who could manage to put a smile on my face - a heart attack. That was the end of my existence. I was still physically alive, yeah. But mentally and emotionally, I was gone. Just like dad. It's weird really, because there's just so much one person can take. I didn't think things could get even worse. I'm cursed, so repeating those words to myself probably jinxed my fate. I was wound up in the head of my ex-lover and then fell for his beta. Jacob. Jacob hadn't imprinted on anyone, but he might as well have. On Isabella Swan - excuse me, Cullen - that is. He worships the ground she walks on, kissing her feet willingly. You see, I thought he was over her, I thought we were on the same boat. I mean, we had an understanding about each other. He had his heart broken and so did I. Two peas in a pod. Except in this case, the pod was too damn small to hold the both of us that the other pea had to jump out to find a new place to live. Hence, Bella. I broke up with him. He still loves her and I can see it. I can't deny the look of admiration he gets when someone even mentions her name. I just hope to Taha Aki and all the Gods up there that I don't get that same goofy ass look on my face when someone mentions Sam.

Why, you ask, am I running over to Sam's house by myself? Well, here's what happened. While we - and when I say we - I mean me, Jared, Embry, and Paul. Anyway, while we were at Sam's, I had fallen asleep only to be woken up a couple hours later by Jared, telling me that it was dawn. Jared walked me home, and made his way back to his house once I had fallen back asleep. I woke up to a loud, utterly annoying howl from my bastard alpha calling for another meeting. Early in the fucking morning. Lots of people get cranky in the morning, so it's understandable that I'm a walking ball of rage right now, right? Right. Well, once I heard the howl, I had no choice but to immediately wake up and sprint over to Sam's house. Lovely. And it's not like Embry or the other guys could have ran over to my house just to "accompany" me. There could be danger lurking around La Push, and our priority is to protect our people. Besides, I'm a protector myself, I think I can handle getting to Sam's house myself. I'm a big girl, I can get to Sam's place and remember not to talk to strangers.

Only I didn't.

"Hello, Leah," he said in an icy, mocking tone.

"What do you want?" I growled, instantly regretting my stupidity. They want me, duh!

A slow smile creeped upon his pale face, exposing white gleaming teeth. I looked around and noticed Jayden wasn't anywhere in sight. He must be hiding somewhere.

"Where's -"

"Not here," he interrupted, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Lie. Why would Carter be here by himself? He isn't the one that wants me, it's Jayden, and he and Jayden both know that if I phased, the pack would be here in a heartbeat. Surely Carter doesn't really believe he'll be able to outrun the whole pack without his teleporting boytoy. That's impossible. Suicidal. He's lying, Jayden's hiding somewhere, waiting for a vulnerable moment from me to attack. Carter's just here as a distraction.

"I know what you're thinking," he said, leaning against a tree. "And you're wrong. That's not why I'm here."

I wanted to kick myself for actually standing here, having a conversation with a vampire that wants to hold me hostage for his sick friend. I was about to phase, I was trembling head to toe, ready for the animal in me to burst out. Suddenly the shaking stopped and my vision blurred. All I saw was black. Everything around me, pitch black. And then it clicked.

"You bastard! Stop fucking blinding me!" I screamed in rage, except I didn't hear anything.

My mouth was moving, I was sure of that. But I couldn't hear anything. Was that him too? I thought he was only able to mute himself, not others. . . But of course, it makes sense. He and Jayden wouldn't have gotten anywhere if it weren't for him muting the BOTH of them. It's no wonder we didn't hear either of them. Fuck, I was starting to wonder if Jayden was just super sneaky. Damn, this changes things. I was shaking in rage, but I couldn't phase. I couldn't. I wouldn't know where my surroundings were and I couldn't howl. So, no use there. Fuck, I'm so screwed.

"You'll get your vision and voice back shortly. Just listen, and listen good. I'm here to help you."

I choked on my own spit, trying to sink in what he had just said. I laughed, thinking the leech must be really stupid if he thought I was stupid enough to actually believe him. I probably looked stupid right now, laughing inaudibly.

"This isn't funny, I'm being serious," there was no mockery in his tone, he very much _did_ sound serious. But you know how that goes - you can't trust a leech.

I crossed my arms and looked in the direction where his scent directed me to. I couldn't see, so I used my nose. I know, I know, genius right?

"I'm going relieve you of your vision and voice, but you have to promise not to phase or howl or do anything you guys do to get attention." He said it as an order, not a request. I don't take orders from people who aren't my alpha. I mean shoot, I already have a hard time listening to Sam, how the hell does he expect me to listen to him? He stalked me for months, he should know this by now.

"Do you promise not to cause any commotion?" he asked in a stern voice.

I nodded, trying to look sincere. God knows I'd rather be dropped into molten lava then trust a leech, so I brought my arm behind me and crossed my index and middle finger. It's a habit that I've had since I was little, every time I knew I was going to break a promise, I would do exactly that. The hell if I'm going to let a leech take advantage of me so quickly.

"Good. But before I relieve you, I'll explain to you why exactly I'm going to help you. Jayden killed my parents last night. He specifically told me not to go near them, yet he went ahead and drained them both. I won't do his dirty work anymore, I've had enough. He betrays me, I come back twice as hard. He is nothing without my help."

Whoa! I seriously wasn't expecting that. I was speechless, shocked. . . _sympathetic_. It isn't right, I shouldn't be feeling sorry for a vampire who wanted to come after me. I should be attacking him, not leveling out if he's telling the truth or not. No, this is all a trick to lure me into their conniving plot. Once he relieves me of my senses, I attack. No questions asked.

I heard him walking closer to me, and I stiffened. I was ready to attack, even if I was blind, I was going to fight. If he so much as pinches me, I'll go apeshit on him. I heard him coming closer to me, but I couldn't smell him. I suppose that was his doing as well, not that I minded. It's sort of nice not having to smell that sickly sweet smell that vamps have.

He was standing right in front of me, I could hear his breathing. Calm and steady. His cold hand found my face, and very gently cupped my right cheek. If I was stiff before, believe me, I would have passed as a fucking statue by now. Carter was touching me, cupping my fucking cheek. And I wasn't doing anything! What the fuck is up with me?! I raised an arm, ready to aim a punch wherever I possibly could, but he caught my arm with his free hand.

"Relax, will you? I'm not going to hurt you," he said, sounding annoyed.

"Relax? RELAX?! Are you out of your fucking mind?! Get your fucking hand off of me you filthy son of a bitch!" I was screaming but it was inaudible. I was trying to throw punches at him but he held my arms down. God, I hate being useless.

"Jesus! The sooner you calm down, the sooner you get your sense back, damn it! I just wanted to look at you," he said, frustrated with my ungodly behavior.

I huffed and crossed my arms, earning a sharp exhale of breath from him.

"Okay. Speak." It wasn't exactly an order on his part this time, it was actually sort of a plea.

"What the fuck do you want from me?" I asked, venom lacing through each word that came out of my mouth.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Are you kidding? No I don't fucking trust you!" I practically yelled.

"Raise your voice any higher and you can kiss that charming voice of yours goodbye," he warned.

"Fine."

"Why don't you trust me?" he asked.

"You can't possibly be serious. You're joking right?" I laughed. "Let's see, you're a leech, you've been stalking the pack for months, and you tried to kidnap me!"

"And yet your still here talking to me."

"Where the fuck can being blind take a werewolf?" I demanded.

"I'll return your vision to you shortly, I just want you to be clear with everything," he assured me.

"Where's Jayden?" I demanded.

"In the cave," he replied instantly.

"Cave?"

"That's where we hide. Call it our headquarters, if you must."

"Why are you telling me this? Why do you want to help me?"

"I told you, he killed my parents. Just because I am a vampire doesn't mean I don't love my parents, wolf. I want to avenge them."

"So what the hell do you want me to do, turn myself in?" I hissed, crouching into a fighting position.

"No, I want you to inform your pack about our little meeting. I'll be heading to the Cullen's soon."

"That's it? You just want me to tell the pack that you're on our side 'cause of your parents?" This seemed too god damn good to be true. No way in hell does he think me or anyone else is going to believe his made-up story.

"Yes."

"Fine. Give me back my vision."

"Done," he said. And then just like that, everything was back in place. My vision had cleared, and I had never loved seeing the light so much. Carter stood in front of me with a curious look on his face. He was wearing the same smirk as he did when he first appeared. If it weren't for his extremely pale skin, and that he was a leech, Carter would actually look. . . good. I wonder what he looked like as a human. . .

No, no, no. This is like deja vu all over again. I can dimly recall thinking Jayden looked good the first time I had met up with his vampire self, and now I'm doing the same to Carter. What the hell has gotten into me?

"Okay, I tell the pack you're a good bloodsucker now and you help us. Done deal. I'm leaving now." I started to walk away, which really wasn't a smart idea. It's number one in the rule book to never turn your back on your enemy. But I was taking a risk here, trying to see for sure if he was actually sticking to his word or if he was going to attack me. The attack never came, but what he said to me took me by surprise.

"Jayden's right about one thing though, you're beautiful," he said, no mockery or sneering included. There was no hint of flirtatious act in his tone, just sincerity, and that's weird. "He doesn't deserve you. _Neither_ of them do."

I spun around to retort back but he was gone. I stared into the open area of where he once stood, astonished at what had just happened. I actually had a conversation with a vampire. And it resulted in neither of us ripping each other apart. Man, wait 'till the guys hear about this. What did he mean by neither of them deserving me? Who is "them?"

* * *

I decided to walk the rest of the way to Sam's house instead of running. I had already wasted my adrenaline rush on a vampire I didn't even get to fight. The guys are going to be in for a big surprise. I won't be surprised if they check my neck and wrists in case I have any bite marks on me.

I reached Sam's house in less then 5 minutes. I guess walking for me, was like jogging to a human, so it took me little time to arrive. I didn't bother to knock, I just walked right in. I was greeted with fourteen pairs of angry eyes.

"Where the hell were you?" Sam demanded.

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks. How are you?" I bit back sarcastically, taking a seat on the ground beside Seth.

"Leah, you're 30 minutes late. We were worried about you, where were you?" Sam asked in a softer tone.

"I bumped into someone. Someone we know to be an enemy. Except I don't know if he's exactly an enemy anymore. . ."

I sound like a total idiot. I need to write a book on how to sound like a retard during a meeting.

"Ene - what?" Yes. I clearly do sound stupid, seeing as how Sam can't even finish his sentence and the rest of the guys are looking at me with raised eyebrows.

"Carter. I saw him. I Talked to him," I said as calmly as possible.

The room tensed and I felt the atmosphere instantly grow uncomfortable. This wasn't a subject that was easily looked upon.

"And you didn't call us for help?!" Sam asked, outraged that he wasn't able to show up like the night in shining armor he thought of himself to be.

"Believe me, I tried, but the bastard muted me and took away my vision," I said, growing irritated with every waking second he opened his mouth.

"What did he want?" Jared asked from across the room.

"He wanted me to tell you guys that he's on our side now," I said, shrugging.

"And you believed him?" Paul asked, eyeing me suspiciously. Beside him, Jacob was looking intently at me, worry and anger shone on his face. I brushed off the emotions that swelled up inside of me from the mere sight of him.

"I don't know. He said he was going to the Cullens, and when I turned away from him, I expected him to attack me," I explained, stretching out my legs.

"Did he attack you?" That was Jacob. His voice was hoarse, like he'd been yelling. Still, even with the heartache he caused me, he still has the same effect on me as when we shared our first kiss. Butterflies still fluttered from inside my stomach making me feel queasy.

Man, I have got to be the worlds biggest cheese-ball. Who feels like this anymore?

"No," I said, not meeting his eyes, "he didn't."

"What exactly did he tell you, Leah?" Sam asked in a concerned, maternal way.

"He told me he wants nothing to do with Jayden because he betrayed him."

"Betrayed? How?" Embry asked. The curiousness in his voice was very clear.

"Jayden killed both of his parents, drained them dry. Now Carter wants to avenge them and to betray him by helping us." I sounded ridiculous, I mean, I was actually considering the odds of a killer vampire that's willing to help us. We still don't know for sure if he was being serious, for all we know, his sob story could very well be a cover up.

"Say Carter was telling the truth, how the hell would he help us?" Seth asked, shaking in fury beside me.

I cocked an eyebrow at him and answered, "Like I said, he's going to talk to the Cullens."

At that, Seth relaxed a bit. I guess the thought of a psycho vampire in the hands of the Cullens is good enough for him. Gross.

"How do you know he isn't lying to you?" Jared asked.

With that question out in the open, all eyes were on me, expecting a good answer.

"I don't know if he was lying or not," I said hotly, aggravated that I was put on the spot.

"He tricked you! You fell right into his trap Leah!" Sam growled, not at me in particular, but I know most of his anger was directed towards me.

"You think I didn't know what I was getting myself into?! He blinded me and muted me! What the hell did you expect me to do?!" Screw being calm and rational. If they wanna get mad, let them. If they're looking for a smart comment that'll get me to shut up, they're looking for trouble because I will snap back at any one of them and leave them with burn marks that'll scar them for the next few weeks. None of these guys, with the exception of Jared and Embry can't come close to even outsmarting me. I can steer my way around things, they should all know that by now.

Bring. It. On.

"Do you seriously trust him?" Jacob asked, looking deep into my eyes. Watching for a reaction.

My response surprised me just as much as it did them, "Yes." I said it without hesitation, without thinking. And honestly, I think I do. But deep down, I know I shouldn't. He's a vampire and I'm a shape-shifter. We're made to hate each other, trusting one another is something that is way out of line. We aren't made to coexist. But he's hurt over his parents being murdered - that's something that makes most people see red. How could someone _not_ feel the need to avenge their parents? If anyone ever laid a hand on my parents, I would be out for blood.

Everyone, with the exception of Seth, Jared, and Embry, gasped in shock. Weird, right? Big, burly, shirtless men, gasping. It's comical.

"How can you be so sure?" Paul sneered, balling his hands into fists. Great, now the hothead's getting hot. Stupid shit.

"Look, I already told you all I'm not one hundred percent sure, alright? I just believe his story."

"Leah -"

"Paul, shut up. Sam. . . didn't you say you found two bodies in the forest? A man and a woman?" Embry asked, his face thoughtful.

"Yes, but -" Sam's face dawned with realization. He turned towards Seth and then Quil. "They weren't decomposed though, it looked like they had just been attacked last night or the night before. . ."

"Leah, did Carter tell you _when _Jayden killed his parents?" Seth asked, furrowing his brows.

My stomach dropped as the truth hit me. The bodies they found in the forest were Carter's parents.

"Well?" Seth pushed, giving me a slight nudge.

"Last night," I said, feeling dizzy as the words slipped out of my mouth. I was getting a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and the dizziness in my head made it seem as if the world was spinning a hundred miles per hour. What if Carter saw his parents lying in the forest? No one deserves to see their parents in that state. No one. Not even a leech.

"Those were probably his parents," Jared said in a low voice.

"Lee. . . you okay?" That was Jacob. It's always him. All the time. Why can't it change for once? Why does it have to be him to ask me if I was well? His voice held so much concern it actually, physically, hurt me from the inside out. The guilt was eating me alive and each time I thought of him, the pain would just increase.

"I'm fine," I said, rubbing my temples in a circular motion.

"We don't know for sure if those were his parents or not, but for now, I want you all to still keep a close look out. Understood?" Sam didn't know what to believe. The uneasiness in his voice rang clearly in my head, but to the other guys he probably sounded like he knew what he was talking about. Ahh, the advantages of being an ex. Not!

"Yes." It came out of every one of our lips, almost in a robotic way.

"Good. Now if you'll all turn your attention to Jacob, you'll find he's got some very interesting information he would like to share." There was so much smugness in Sam's voice. It almost sounded like he was mocking Jacob. I know I shouldn't get mad, I know I shouldn't even care, but I can't help but still feel that fire that tells me to protect when someone says something snarky to him. I still felt like he was mine, but that's just an imagination of mine that just can't seem to escape from my head. He isn't mine and he never will be.

"I saw Bella," Jacob began, slowly.

"There's a shocker," Paul snorted, rolling his eyes. My lips twitched into a smile at Paul's sarcastic comment.

"As I was saying," Jacob continued, glaring at a smirking Paul, "I saw her and she's very pregnant. She looks like the thing could be due any minute."

"Which is why we should kill it," Sam commented in a blank tone, "The sooner the better. We don't want an abomination lurking around here."

"We don't know if it's dangerous," Jacob argued. Of course._ Of course_ he would stand up and fight for the woman he loves.

"The Cullens fear it too," Sam said, making his point clear. "We don't know if it's dangerous or not, but if it is and we let it live, hundreds of lives will be put at stake. Because of you."

Ouch. That was a major burn and Sam knew it. How the hell is Jacob going to get out of this one? Sam's right and he knows it.

"How are we going to kill the thing without killing Bella?" Jacob asked, his voice was at the peak of reaching hysteria.

"Alright, just drop it. Shut the fuck up!" Paul growled, squaring himself up with Jacob. "You're just adding onto our problems. It's bad enough that we have to deal with Jayden and Carter trying to kidnap Leah, adding to the fact that we have to protect the_ entire_ reservation! Now you're dragging us into Bella's issues again?! We've had enough of her, she's caused us enough problems in the past. I thought we were through with her bullshit, and now you're starting it all over again. WHAT THE _FUCK_ IS WRONG WITH YOU, BLACK?!"

Jacob was seething. But that didn't stop Paul from continuing his little rant. The guy was on a roll.

"And for the record, I could care less if Isabella fucking Cullen dies!" He snarled, "She isn't my problem, she's _theirs_. I will _not_ put my life on the line for her again. The leech lover has shown us over and fucking over again that she is clearly not worth it. Her death - along with that demon she's fertilizing - is worth it if it means the safety of more people."

Paul Lahote. I'm going to have to give him a hug or something to show my appreciation of what he just did. For a hothead, he had a point and looking at everyone else's expressions, they thought so too. If Jacob hadn't interfered with the Cullen's, we wouldn't be having this problem. Bella wasn't, and never was, our responsibility. We protected her because she was human, and because she meant a lot to Jacob. But now? She clearly chose the bloodsucker over Jacob, and he still insists on dragging us down with her stupid life problems! Doesn't he get that none of us really like her? That she's not our to protect anymore?

"I'm not dragging any of you into anything," Jacob growled, curling his lip back at Paul.

"Bullshit!" Paul hissed, taking a step closer to Jacob, only to get dragged back by Jared and Quil.

"I say this with all due respect man, but I'm gonna go with Paul on this one," Quil said, shrugging. "Bella's made her decision."

"I second that," Jared agreed, pushing Paul down onto the couch.

"Is that what all of you think?" Jacob snarled, looking around the room at each of us with furious eyes.

The silence that answered him told him that yes, that is what we all thought. I thought it'd be obvious to him that none of us ever really took the time to get to know Bella. He should've understood right then that none of use liked Mrs. Knock-me-up.

Jacob sat back down with a strangled, yet outraged look in his eyes. I looked over to my right and saw that Seth too, was looking like he'd been drowning in deep water.

"Sorry Jacob," Sam said quietly, "but we have to protect our people."

When he didn't answer, Embry spoke up, "So what do we do now?"

"We form an attack. It'll be unexpected, they won't see it coming. Seth and Leah will face off with Esme and Rosalie, Jacob and I will take on Edward, Jared and Paul will take Emmett, and Embry and Quil will take Jasper. Whoever is closest to Bella will handle that job. This isn't easy for any of us, Bella used to be part of our family. But seeing as how she is boring something abnormal and unnatural into the world, it is too much of a risk."

The silence in the room was nagging at me. This really was going to happen. The Cullens, who not so long ago we're our allies, were now the ones we're planning to take out. Ironic, right? We're killing the vampires who we've fought by, destroying other leeches who brought trouble in our depths. Now they're going to die. All of them.

"When do we attack?" Quil asked.

"At dawn," Sam said, giving Jacob a sympathetic look.

Seth groaned, and leaned his head back against the wall. He closed his eyes and took slow deep breaths.

"Any -"

"No." Jacob said, standing up.

"What?" Sam asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I won't follow you. I won't fight them. I will not be a part of this."

"YES you will. You will join your brothers and sister and fight," Sam ordered.

The alpha command burned into our skulls, making it unbearable to move and disobey.

"NO, I won't! I wasn't brought into this world to listen to Levi Uley's descendant," Jacob said harshly.

Jacob's doing it. He's doing what none of us can't. He's defying the alpha.

"I am your alpha, you will follow my lead," Sam demanded. The fury in both his and Jacob's eyes said only one thing, and one thing only: Fight.

"Not anymore." And at that, the both of them were outside, phased and ripping into each others fur.

The rest of us stood around, not knowing what to do. By the looks on the guys' faces, I could tell that they wanted to help, but at the same time, they knew they couldn't. If any one of us got in the way of the two fighting, there would be consequences. It was clear to all of us now.

There were two alpha's now.

Jacob Black, descendant of Ephriam Black, and Sam Uley, descendant of Levi Uley. Both alpha's. Not one of us dared to get in their way. But the least we could do was phase, right? So we did.

All we saw were mental, raw images of flesh cutting into flesh, and chants of war. This was stupid, one of them was going to get seriously hurt. None of the guys were going to say anything. . . So _I _did.

_Jacob. . . Jake, stop this! _I was screaming in my head at him, but he wasn't answering me. He was ignoring me. I couldn't get anything from him. Nothing, just silence from him.

_Jake! Answer me! Stop doing this! You're going to get hurt! _I tried again, but he still wouldn't answer me. I still couldn't get anything from him.

_He can't hear you, _Jared said. _He has his own pack now, his mind is separate from ours now._

_What?! Jake! Sam! STOP! _I was full out screaming now. I was starting to panic and the frustration of not being able to hear Jacob was devastating me.

_SAM! YOU HAVE TO STOP FIGHTING HIM! _I was desperate. I didn't want to see either of them hurt, especially over something like this. You see, this is what I meant about Bella causing more trouble. Look at our pack now.

_SAM, PLEAASSEEEE! STOP IT! _I was almost begging, and the adrenaline in my veins were pumping like crazy.

My pleas seemed to get Sam's attention because he dodged a blow from Jacob's massive paw, and took a couple steps back from him. When he was far enough away from him to turn his head and look at me, he nodded his head at me with regretful eyes and told us to phase back.

We did as we were told, and Jacob was gone. This was the end. This is the conclusion where it's clear to everyone that he was finally done with me and chose Bella.

Once everyone was dressed, Sam spoke in a hoarse voice, "We lost a brother. We need to stay on full alert now at all times. Things will be trickier without him."

Everyone nodded silently.

"Leah, Jared, Embry, and Paul. You four will still be patrolling at midnight," Sam said, pacing back and forth, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"When do you want us to relieve them?" Quil asked.

"At dawn. We won't attack the Cullen's tomorrow, Jacob will have told them everything. We need time to think things through. I need to speak to the elders about our situation. But for now, me, you, and Seth will patrol together."

"Okay," Quil agreed quietly.

"Seth?" Sam called.

No answer.

"Seth?" Sam called again, his voice getting more stern.

Everyone's head snapped up from the ground and scanned the area. There was no sign of Seth anywhere. He was gone. He went and joined Jacob's pack. Of course he would. Jacob is Seth's God. Of course he would follow him around anywhere like a lost fucking panda. That little punk!

"Damn it! He followed Jacob!" Sam cursed, violently kicking a rock away from his path.

"Fucking weenie," Paul muttered, scratching the back of his head. I cast him a quick glare and glanced over at Sam.

"Sam, I need to tell my mom what's going on," I said, hoping he was going to be nice for once and let me go.

"Right. I'll walk with you, I've gotta speak with the elders anyway. As for the rest of you, I want you all to keep an eye out for anything at all."

Great. So, he's letting me go, but he's going to walk with me. Just what I wanted.

"Your mom is gonna freak," Sam said, sounding like he did when we dated. Sam was, and always has been scared shitless of my mom.

"I know," I said, dreading the on-coming lecture about how I should of kept a better eye on my brother and whatnot. I've heard it all before.

"Do you need me to come with you?" he asked, sounding a little hopeful.

"No, I got it," I said, looking away from him. I can't stand having a civilized conversation with Sam. Spending five seconds with him drives me crazy, I either want to strangle him or kiss him. Ever since we broke up, I always had the urge to injure him, but there were times when I just wanted to break down and have him hold me. Right now. . . I just wanted him to leave me alone and stop talking.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Positive."

He got the message and stopped talking, but there were occasional times where he'd side-glance at me. I ignored him and when we came to where we'd head our separate ways, I dipped. I didn't want to spend another second with him.

Now the hard part.

Seth was able to defy Sam and follow Jake. But what about me? Would I be able to do that? Do I want to do that? Yes. The truth is, I do want that. I want to be free of Sam. And honestly, if it came down to it, I'd follow Jake anywhere and stand beside him through anything. Even if that meant I'd be hurting myself in the process. I care about him enough to stand by him and fight my own brothers. So what do I do? Will I be able to stand being around Bella 24/7? If Seth and Jacob are there, then possibly, yes. But can I go against everything I grew up learning? Our legends? My people? The answer is yes. I'd do anything for Jacob Black. He'll be the reason I live and possibly be the reason I die. He means too much to me now. But now, when I think of defying Sam, another thought occurs to me. Sam won't only be the one who I'll be betraying. I'll be turning my back on Sam, my pack, my dad, mom, Billy, Old Quil, our legends, and my tribe. I already know with all my heart, that even if the consequences of betrayal means death and humiliation, I'd willingly do it for Jacob.

So I've made my decision. I'll join the ranks of Jacob's pack.

I've just defied a hell of a lot of people. Jacob better let me into his pack or he'll be responding to me fists.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Again, I'm sorry for the late update, but I'm trying. I tried my hardest making this chapter as good as possible. I needed a good transition from one pack to two packs, and hopefully I did alright. I wanted to change how the packs seperated, but not too much. Please review, and I appreciate your support! HAPPY THANKSGIVING! =)

Ohhh! I forgot to tell you! I'm reading a series called "Vampire Academy" and it's goooooooood! I just finished number three (Shadow Kiss) last night and it was amazing! It literally had me crying. I'm in search of the fourth one (Blood Promise) now! I recommend it to anyone who likes Twilight, they're amazing series. Richelle Mead is the author of the books and her writing style is just...wow :)


	19. Bittersweet

Chapter nineteen: Bittersweet

* * *

**Leah POV**

It's settled. My minds made up. I'm following him. No matter how much it'll hurt me, at least it'll keep me near him. I can' even begin to explain the feeling the need to be near him. No, it's not like the pull that the imprinters have - it's more like I literally feel empty and cold when he's not around. I can't just stay here knowing that Sam is probably planning an ambush on him, not to mention my brother will probably be the easier target. I need to be with them. My brother and my _new_ alpha. Jacob Black is all I want and right now I need him - well, to be near him. I'm an idiot for trying to stay as close as possible to him, but I can't help myself. The feeling I get when I'm near him, when his lips brush against mine. . . it's indescribable. The slightest touch from him makes me shiver from the electricity running from my head to toes. It's a bittersweet situation; I'll be with him 24/7 - which is really more than I'm asking for - but the many hours I spend with him will all go to waste with the knowledge that he's chosen Bella no matter what. Like I said, bittersweet.

I told Sam that I was going to inform my mom on what had happened. Well, that's not gonna happen, seeing as how I'll be joining Jacob's ranks as well. No way in hell will my mom let me guard a family of leeches that are known to be our "enemies." I mean shit, she's an elder too, what the hell is she suppose to think if I just show up half-naked with news that her two kids are off to protect a group of bloodsuckers? Yeah, I'll let mom find out on her own from one of the guys or Billy or something. I think I'll pass the whole lecture about not being "responsible" and letting Seth run off on his own. Yeah, I'll leave the whole situation with my mom with the elders, or the pack. Now for the important stuff, how am I gonna leave La Push without being spotted by one of the guys? If I phase, one of the guys are gonna catch onto my thoughts and inform Sam right away. If I take the car to La Push, I'm gonna have to go inside my house to get my keys, and my mom just happens to be home today. I'm not even gonna think about walking the way there. Screw that.

With a sigh, I slumped my shoulders and walked back into the forest. If I walk through the forest and the guys catch me, I'll just say I got in a fight with my mom and threaten to bombard their heads with mental images of my mother and I yelling at each other.

"Fuck my life," I muttered to myself angrily.

"Surely you don't mean that," a playful voice said.

My head whipped around in the direction of the voice and found myself staring dumbly at Jared.

"Shit, Jared!" I hissed, annoyed.

"What?" he asked, faking innocence.

"You scared the hell out of me! What the hell are you doing here anyway?!"

It's true, I didn't even notice anything, didn't hear or smell anything at all. I was too lost in my thoughts to hear him trailing after me. I wonder how long he's been following me.

"It's not my fault you had your guard down, Clearwater," he teased.

"You didn't answer my question. What the hell are you doing here?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm a dog, I like to wander the forest. The real question is where _you're _headed."

Aw shit. Don't tell me he's figured it out already!

"That's really none of your business, Jared." I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Don't be stupid, Leah. I've been friends with you ever since I was a kid, I know how your mind works. I saw it on your face once he left."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, moron," I said stubbornly.

"Don't leave, Leah."

Was I really being that obvious? There is no possible way he could have just known that I was going to leave Sam's pack.

"How'd you know?" I asked, not meeting his eyes. As much as I hate being in Sam's pack, I didn't actually hate the guys.

"It was written all over your face. . . I - It was obvious you were going to follow him. . ." he said, taking a step closer to me.

"I need to. . . not just because of him, but because of Seth too," I explained.

"You don't have to," he argued, closing the distance between us and engulfing me tightly in his arms. "Seth is safe with Jacob. . . you need to stay here, Lee. That leech may be out there somewhere waiting for you. . . we can protect you. _Please._ It's not safe out there."

My eyes were burning, I was trying my absolute hardest not to let a tear slip. Yes, I was aware that Jayden could be out there roaming the forest waiting to tie me down and take me to his cave, but that doesn't matter. He doesn't have Carter with him to take my senses away, he'll be useless. I'm much faster than a vampire, I'm sure I can outrun him. There's no doubt that I feel safe here in La Push with Sam's pack, where everyone will look out for me. . . But none of that matters. All that matters is _him_. The sense of security I feel in La Push, with my pack, right now with Jared, is nothing compared to the immense feelings of desire and protection I feel for Jacob.

I released myself from Jared's hold and took a few steps back. I never took my eyes away from his, letting him know that my decision was made.

"Please, Lee," he pleaded. With glossy eyes, he tried closing the distance between us once again, but I kept moving back.

"I'm sorry. . . I can't - I need him, Jare," I choked out. And then I phased.

I was running, but not at full speed. I didn't think Jared would follow me. I was wrong. I looked to my left and saw him in wolf form trying to keep pace with me. He was barking at me. I was shocked, to say the least, that Jared couldn't hear me anymore. I looked into his eyes and saw frustration, probably at not being able to hear me. He gave me a pleading look before he slowed down. I didn't notice I was increasing my speed, but what surprised me was how quickly my loyalties to Jacob had left my mind free from Sam's pack the instant I phased. I slowed and looked back at Jared. He wasn't running anymore, he was sitting 20 feet away from me, giving me that same look of plea.

It's a waste how I just mended my friendship with Jared only to have it tarnished once again. I'm truly going to miss him, and it hurts me to see the look of anguish on his face. I knew he wanted to come after me, but he couldn't. I was past the treaty line now and he couldn't cross it. The fact that he was being held back by an imaginary line created like, a billion years ago, doesn't make it easier for either of us. I want to go back to my family and pack, but I have to do what I have to do. My alliances are with Jacob.

With a sigh, I gave Jared one last apologetic look and sprinted towards my new "home." As I ran, the wind whipped at my face, making my eyes water. I can use that excuse now, but lord knows that my tearing eyes are also tears of sorrow. I just betrayed everything I stood for, everything I was made for. All for one person. And that person doesn't even want me. Huh, fate really does hate me.

And then I heard a long, loud, howl. Jared.

_Forgive me, Jare._

* * *

Because I'm an idiot and phased unintentionally with Jared, I shredded my clothes. So now I have two options and two options only: First option, walk around the forest nude. Option two, stay in wolf form for who knows how long. I think I'll stick with the latter.

The Cullen mansion was coming into view, and I could spot Seth on the porch with a magazine in hand. I sprinted towards him in excitement but immediately came to a halt when I saw _him _exit through the white doors of the mansion. Just the sight of him gave me butterflies and sharp pang at my heart. I basked in his perfection from where I was, knowing this was the last time I'd ever get to think of him this way without him finding out about it. Jacob and Seth did that weird hand shake, body-bump thing that guys did to greet each other, and started talking. I watched from afar how calm and happy the pair looked. Would I ruin everything for them if I joined their pack? I took a step closer to get a better view at the both of them and froze when I saw Seth's head snap up in my direction. I had the nerve to look back at the pair and instantly regretted it because now, the both of them where gawking at me like I've just given birth to hens.

Well, might as well get this shit over with. I can't believe Seth's ears are that good! The fucking vamps were right about him, the kid has a freakishly large and accurate hearing range.

With each step I took towards them, their eyes only got wider. Once I was close enough to see eye to eye with them, I stopped. I slid out my hind left leg that sadly, didn't have a rope or any clothes attached to it, and waited for them to get the hint and phase. They didn't. But what did I expect, neither of them were really ever that bright.

I was in a pack of three, and two out of three of us were useless in the brain department. Switching packs was definitely worth questioning my sanity. Was I suicidal?

Edward Cullen stepped out with a crooked grin and asked if I wanted to come inside. I gave him a look that said, 'are you fucking serious?!' He simply smiled and said, "Alice has clothes for you to change into upstairs. You'd feel much more comfortable in them."

Both Jacob's and Seth's mouths formed an "o" at Edward's words and gave me sheepish looks. Fucking idiots. I can't believe I ditched the pack for _these_ losers.

_'No, I don't feel comfortable at all walking into a vampires lair, leech. I'll stick to my doggy-goodness_.' I thought.

I watched as Edwards jaw clenched and unclenched, and speaking in a very stiff voice he said, "Very well, then."

_'Good, now that we have everything figured out, can you tell these two to phase?' _I asked, even though it completely hurt my ego to be asking a favor from a _Cullen. _Especially, Edward.

His face scrunched up into a scowl and his nostrils flared at my thoughts, and nodded. He turned to Jacob and Seth and said in an impressive expressionless voice, "She wants you guys to phase."

_'Thanks, leech.' _I said, amused by the fact that he actually listened to me. The vampire rolled his eyes and retorted back just as smoothly, "Anytime, pup."

A low growl escaped my mouth but was cut off by Jacob's beautiful voice.

"Leah?" he said my name as if he were seeing me for the first time in a hundred years. His voice was a mix of confusion and fury. But his eyes told a different story, they were full of hope and desire.

I barked to confirm his question, it was indeed me. For all I knew, there were no other female shape-shifters around La Push.

"Turn around," he said, unbuttoning his shorts.

I nodded and did as I was told. I felt a shiver go up my spine, and instantly heard a billion thoughts running through my mind coming from him.

_Leah, what are you doing here? _Jacob asked, in an annoyed voice.

_I came to join your pack, what's it look like? _I asked, trying to ignore the fact that his question had stung.

_You need to go home, Leah. Mom will be worried sick! _Seth said, making me jump. I had _almost _forgotten about Seth, even when I asked Edward to tell them to phase not too long ago.

I _should go home? Seth you're such a dumb ass. If mom is worried sick, it's because she's afraid you'll get hurt,_ not_ me. So clearly it should be_ you _running your happy ass back home. _

_That's not why you're here, _Jacob said, sounding a little smug.

_I'm here because of Seth. I don't want my little brother turning into a fucking meal for you precious Cullens. _I said, purposley lacing my words with venom.

My words indeed make Jacob flinch, but he was an alpha now and he did not want to look weak, especially to his ex-girlfriend.

_That's bullshit, Leah! You know damn well that Seth can take care of himself! If anything, you're here to get away from Sam! _he growled.

_Go fuck yourself, Jake. You can't do anything to make me leave this pack. My alliances are with you now, not Sam. If you wanna get rid of me so bad, order me away back to Sam. _

It was a test. I wanted to see if he would actually order me back to Sam's pack. Of course it wouldn't work. I mean sure, if he did, I'd technically still be able to hear his thoughts because my loyalties rested with him, but I wouldn't be in the area with him and Seth because I would be sulking the perimeter of La Push not having a clue what Sam and his guys were thinking.

_You know I can't do that, _he said, seething.

_Good. So keep your trap shut and let me do my thing. I'll run the perimeter at a different time than you and Seth and keep away from you guys if you're really that bothered. It'll be like I'm not even here. See? Problem solved. _

_You don't even like vampires, Lee, _Seth said, quietly.

_So? Neither does Jake,_ I argued.

_But he's actually dedicated to protecting them, _Seth reasoned.

_Like I said, I'm dedicated to this pack so I'll do whatever the fuck you want me to do and keep away from the leeches._

_But -_

_Fine, Leah. You can stay. Just. . . just try not to start trouble with them, _Jake said, cutting Seth off and looking me right in the eyes.

Ouch. _Look, I said I would do my job and that's it. Why the hell would I go anywhere near them? They're not my best friends, they're yours._

"It's amazing how you three seem to have forgotten that I'm standing right here," Edward said, leaning against the back of the door.

_I didn't forget, leech. You think I'd be able to ignore that nasty ass smell that emanates off of you? No siree. _I really liked pissing this particular Cullen off. I think I could get used to this.

_Lee-uhhh, _Seth groaned, burying his head under his paws.

"Such a charming girl," Edward said, making the sarcasm in his voice very obvious.

_I only put on this show especially for you, old man, _I grinned, attempting a wink in my wolf form.

_Leah, you said you wouldn't cause trouble, _Jacob said sternly.

_I'm not. I'm just having some fun. Your ancient friends needa lighten up - OH! Speaking of friends, is Carter here?_

"Yes, he is," Edward said, completely cutting off Jacob. "He's inside right now."

_Tell him to come out here, _I said, a little anxious to hear directly from Carter his story to the Cullens.

Jacob's and Seth's confusion were both clear in my mind but I ignored them.

"Get dressed first," Edward said, an infuriating smirk appearing along his smooth, marble face.

_I. Don't. Have. Clothes. _Fucking bloodsucker.

Edward's smirk turned into a grin as he threw a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, underwear, and a bra, at my feet.

"There you go," he said, giving me his signature crooked grin.

_God dammit, just take them, Leah, _Seth whined, sounding exasperated.

_Fine. _And then, I did. I grabbed the horrible-smelling clothes with my teeth and ran behind some bushes to change. I phased back and quickly slipped on the underwear, and shorts given to me, along with the bra and t-shirt.

I noticed two things about my outfit. One, the shorts were extremely short, so short that if I bent over, half of my ass would be sticking out. And two, the t-shirt that was given to me was not only 2 sizes too tight, but had the words, "hot thang" written across my boobs in cursive.

Excellent. Just fucking marvelous. Seth is going to _looove _this.

I stepped out of the bushes, bare feet and all, and jogged back towards the mansion to meet a very wide-eyed Jacob, and a beet-red Seth.

"Leah, what in God's name are you wearing?" Seth, who was already in his shorts, asked in a half-whisper, half-scream.

"Why don't you ask count Dracucunt over there," I said, jerking my thumb in the direction of a very annoyed Edward.

"DRACUCUNT!" a booming voice laughed. The big vampire with biceps that only steroids could create, opened the door, grinning like an idiot. "You are a _genius_!"

Huh, at least someone here appreciates my humor. Other than the smell, maybe muscles won't be too bad of company.

"My apologies, Leah. I hadn't realized my brother had handed me such inappropriate clothes," Edward said, glaring at the vampire I knew to be Emmett.

"Glad you think so highly of me, Hercules. Now if you will," I said, ignoring Edwards apologies and pushing Emmett out of my way, making my way into the mansion.

I'm not gonna lie. The place was beautiful. Beyond that actually, the place looked like something you would find in one of those catalogues that rich people look at. Everything was white, there were barely any dark colors. To say the sight surprised me is an understatement, the place blew me away. With the vintage stairs and the velvet carpet that was laid underneath the piano. Seriously, to be honest, I expected to see fucking coffins and bats flying around. And chandeliers? I actually believed that the Cullens, like all other vampires, would like melt or something under the sun, so I expected to see no light at all. But no, this place looked like a place that belonged to a multi-millionaire.

"Thanks," Edward said, appreciatively.

"I wasn't complimenting you,"I snapped.

Okay, yes. I came here because besides the whole, 'you were born to destroy vampires' stuff, the Cullens have actually been our allies. And I _should _be nice to them, because they are willing to fight with us. BUT, I can't help but be a bitch to Edward. I mean, if I had to pick anyone to pick on, I'd have to go with Ed-tard. Why? Because he's the easiest target. I mean, there's only so much I can say to Bella without getting annoyed by the fact that she doesn't understand why I'm teasing her. So, instead, I choose her husband. Who, from across the room, was narrowing his eyes at me.

_Don't like what you're hearing, Edfart?_

Edfart? Jesus Christ, I seriously need to find some female friends. I hang around so many guys even my_ insults_ are starting to sound guy-ish.

"I knew I'd see you again," a smooth, silky voice said from behind me.

I whipped around and found a smirking, clean, groomed, and very well-dressed, Carter. He was smirking in a very sexy way that told women at first glance that he was a 'bad-boy' but one who will sweep you off your feet. And trust me when I say this, women find that _very _sexy. Girls like guys with confidence and especially ones that are rebels. There's always something extremely sexy about the 'bad boy.'

From my left, I heard Edward cough, in attempt to hide his laugh from me. I turned towards him and narrowed my eyes into slits.

_Not a word to anyone_, I thought, making myself sound as dangerous as possible in my head.

He was grinning but nodded nonetheless.

"Out of all the Cullens, you HAD to befriend the one that wanted to kill you," Seth muttered, shaking his head.

"You guys are friends?" Jacob asked, looking back and forth between Carter and I suspiciously.

"You guys are idiots." That's all I had to say to them. I turned my attention back on Carter and, believe it or not, smiled.

"You told them everything?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" he said, mimicking my posture.

From my right, I could hear a faint growl in Jacob's chest. And to my left, I could see Seth roll his eyes at Jacob.

I grinned, inwardly, thinking I could have some fun with this.

"You didn't answer me," I said, a little playfully, just to see the reaction from Jacob.

"I don't go back on my word," he said smoothly. "Is that good enough for you?"

"Perfect," I smirked.

"Good, because there's something that I need to talk to you about," he said.

Everyone was silent, waiting for him to speak and tell us what he needed to. All eyes were on him, waiting expectantly.

"Alone," Carter clarified.

"Absolutely not," Jacob growled, almost instantly.

"So much tension from someone who doesn't own her," Carter said, not even flinching at Jacob's sudden outburst and trembling figure. "Leah can make her own decisions. We're just gonna talk."

"Jacob, stop," I said, pulling his trembling figure away from Carter, and then instantly regretting it. I felt it. Again. The fluid line of electricity that shocked me from head to toe, dancing around my veins, feeling like fire. It was that same intense flame that sparked when we were about to have sex, but was interrupted by Seth. God damn you, Seth!

The nausea was drowning me like tidal waves. I pulled my hands away and into my pockets. I forced myself not to look at Jacob because I knew damn well that he had felt it too. The instant my hands touched him, his trembling stopped and that scared the shit out of me.

Without looking at him, I called out to Edward in my mind and asked if it was safe and a good idea to have that talk with Carter.

"Yes," Edward said, before exiting the room.

"Whoa, that was intense. How'd you do that?" Emmett beamed, looking like a fat kid on thanksgiving.

"I - uhmm. . . How about that talk, Carter?" I asked, trying way too hard to ignore the stares from Carter, Emmett, Jacob, and Seth.

"Yeah, let's go." Carter walked out of the room and out the door.

I hurried after him but was stopped by a wary-looking Seth.

"Oh, come on, he's not going to kill me," I told him, trying to get past.

Seth blocked my way, and placed his hands firmly on my shoulders, wanting my attention.

"I don't trust him, but I trust you. Just. . . don't be so hard on, Jake, okay?" That hurt. Especially because it came from Seth, who not so long ago didn't want me as part of the pack. But it also hurt because it was him telling me to be on my best behavior, and not Jacob, who probably won't ever speak to me again. Nonetheless, look at me.

"I'm not doing anything wrong. I came to this pack thinking I'd get accepted, especially because I actually do kinda feel bad for Bella-bitch, but _nooo _I get shunned away." I was actually starting to get mad. I wasn't intending to get angry, but Seth's accusation really irritated me.

"I'm sorry. . . we were just surprised, is all." He gave me one of his famous toothy grins and released his hold on me.

"It's cool. But I really gotta get to my vampire out there," I said, nodding towards the door.

He laughed and stepped out of my way with a smirk.

"Nice to know you value a conversation with a vampire than brother-sister bonding time with me," he joked, as I walked outside. I flipped him off in response, making him laugh.

I wanted to kick myself. I've known the Cullens for quite a while and I still call them names, some of them too inappropriate for all ages, but here I am calling some leech that I've just met, a leech that wanted to kidnap me, "my vampire." I mean yeah, I guess I met him long ago on a playground, but I hadn't thought about him until I met him again a couple of days ago. It took a fucking battle of life or death against Victoria's army to find trust in the Cullens, but a 5-minute conversation to gain trust from Carter. Why? What's so different about him. As far as I'm concerned, he's still the bad vampire. He still has crimson-red eyes, while the rest of the Cullens value to keep their humanity and not drink the blood of humans. The Cullens don't look dangerous, Carter does. Yet, I trust him. What the fuck is wrong with me?

"Your boyfriend's jealous of you spending time with me," Carter said, breaking the silence that I wasn't aware of.

"He's not my boyfriend," I said crossly.

"He likes you," he said, shrugging.

I laughed, "You probably haven't noticed, but he's all for Bella."

"_Bella_?" he said her name with disgust, making me smile.

"Yup," I said, popping the 'p'.

"He chose _her _over you?" he said, sounding so shocked, it was almost cute. _Almost._

"Again, yup."

"He's got terrible taste," Carter muttered to himself, but I heard it anyway.

"So what is it that you were gonna tell me?" I asked, curiosity very clear in my voice and on my face.

"It's about Jayden. . ." Carter began, watching my expression.

"And?" I pushed.

"The night before I left, he told me that he was going after Kim first," Carter continued, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"We already figured you guys were gonna go after the imprints. We found this letter-note thing," I explained, making hand gestures of the piece of paper that scared the shit out of the whole pack.

"Oh, that," Carter laughed. "Yeah, you were suppose to find that. We left it there for a reason."

"Ass wipes," I muttered, crossing my arms.

"You know it," he winked. "Anyway, the plan was that he was going to kidnap Kim first, and hold her hostage for 3 days, and if there weren't any reactions from the pack, we'd strike again with another imprint. We were gonna keep striking until the pack got vulnerable and easy to sneak around."

"So. . . when is he going after Kim?" I asked.

"Well, since I'm no longer affiliated with him, Jayden's probably changed his plans. But it's okay, I know how his mind works."

"And how is that, exactly?" I asked, very skeptic.

"I've been friends with him for as long as I can remember, Leah. It's only natural that I'd know his next move," he shrugged.

As he spoke, I was painfully reminded of what Jared had said to me. I brushed the guilty feeling of just ditching my old pack off, forcing myself to pay attention.

"So, what do you think he'll do next?" I didn't want to know the answer to that because I was scared that I already might know.

"He's going to go for the easiest target."

"Claire?" I asked, dreading the confirmation I knew I was going to receive from him.

"Yes."

"What the hell does he think he can do with a little girl?" I growled.

"Threaten your pack."

"So your saying he won't hurt any of the imprints?" I asked, a little hopeful.

"It depends on how frustrated he gets."

It grew silent for a while, both of us stared off into space, alone with our own thoughts. Naturally, I decided to break the silence.

"So, is that all you wanted to tell me? What's so wrong about saying all of this in front of the rest of them?" I asked, jerking my head back towards the mansion.

I saw Carter tense up, and move a step closer to me. So close that I could feel his breath on my face. To any other vampire, I would've phased in an instant. But. . . he made me feel. . . I don't know, like I could trust him. He wasn't like any other leech. He didn't smell bad, either. All thanks to his power.

"No. The real reason why we're out here is because I have to warn you about him. And I can't say any of this in front of Seth and Jacob. Edward already knows because he pulled it out of my head when I first got here." He looked uneasy, but relieved all the same.

"What is it?" I asked warily.

"The more you frustrate him, the more deaths will occur. Not with the imprints, well, not yet at least. But when he's frustrated, he either goes down to Oregon or Seattle to feed. On Women. _Very_ pretty women."

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked, not understanding where he was getting at.

"Bloodlust."

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow at him to convey my confusion. He sighed and continued.

"When he goes through what we call 'bloodlust' there's no stopping him. If he drinks enough blood in one night, he'll be stronger, maybe even stronger than Emmett. The point is, once he goes through that, which he will one of these nights, he'll feel indestructible and will go for you." His voice was barely a whisper, and there was this edge to it that almost sounded like disgust.

"What will he do with me?" I asked, not noticing that my voice too, came out as a whisper.

"That depends. I don't know Leah! If he's captured you and you frustrate him, and don't listen to him, there's a chance that he'll kill you. Or he'll -"

"Rape me?" I choked.

He didn't speak, but he nodded, not meeting my eyes. Even if the sight of his crimson eyes made me want to kill him purely out of instinct - it is what I was born to do, after all - there was a nagging feeling in the back of my head, the _human_ part of me telling me that this leech - no matter how fucked up he seemed to be - _still_ had some humanity in him. From what I've gathered so far, he's in pain and is absolutely furious over his parents' death and he's disgusted by the fact that Jayden would stoop low enough to end up raping me.

This is one of those rare Leah Clearwater moments when I look at something from someone else's perspective, this time, a bloodsucker's. Victoria turned him - probably against his will. He probably didn't want this life. The leech was thrown into the supernatural world just like the rest of us were.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked, truly curious. Avenging the death of his parents couldn't be the only reason why this guy would help a wolf. If he wanted revenge, he could have killed Jayden easily. Well, I think he could - what with his powers and whatnot.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Leah."

"Bad things?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"If I say no, will that get me on your good side?" he asked, smirking.

"You're already on my good side," I said, before I could even think.

I wanted to bang my head repeatedly into a tree for letting that comment escape my lips to a _leech._ What in the fuck is wrong with me?

A mischievous grin spread across his utterly perfect face, "When we get the chance to talk again, we'll talk about me."

"When? Don't you mean _if?_" He was being cocky and it was irritating. If I want to talk to him, I will talk to him. _I_ will not go seeking out a leech just to have a conversation.

"No, I mean _when_. We'll talk again, I know we will." I couldn't help but compare Carter to every other teenage boy, because in truth, he did make the change when he was still in high school, but he still had his ego. He still acted like a typical, egotistical teenage boy.

"What, so you can tell the future now?" I asked, not able to keep the smile from forming on my face.

"Nope. But I can tell that we're gonna be friends, if not, good friends." There was no playfulness in his voice, he was being serious. And again, even though it went against everything I stood for, I believed him.

"We were made to destroy each other," I stated in an emotionless tone.

"Since when did you play by the rules?" he teased.

"Never," I smirked.

"Exactly. We should be heading back, someones coming," he said, narrowing his eyes at some bushes.

"Who?"

"Me." And he stepped out of the bushes.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, if any of you want to yell at me, or strangle me for a while, I don't blame you. It's been over a month since I've updated, and I'd probably be pissed too. But the truth is, I've been suffering from writers block, and it's been irritating me. I don't feel that great about this chapter, but I tried to post it as soon as possible. I'd still appreciate reviews though :)

And guys, I've been reading the House Of Night series, and damnnn, talk about intense ;)


	20. Everything Changes

Chapter Twenty: Everything Changes

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The bold and Italicized words are lyrics from a song :)

* * *

**Leah's POV**

To say I was shocked is a major understatement.

There he was, standing before me with a strained look on his face.

Samuel muthafreakin' Uley.

"Leah, you need to come back," he said, completely ignoring Carter's disgusted expression.

Those were the words that I wanted so badly to hear for so long, but hearing them now. . . it does nothing for me. I made myself suffer for wanting him so much, always thinking of what could've been. Even when he was there flaunting his perfect relationship with Emily, I was always there wishing he'd have a quick change of mind and come running back to me. I guess Seth's right, I am a slow learner, its taken me this long to realize that I really don't need Sam Uley in my life. Here he is, standing in front of me, asking me to come back to him. It's too late, he's had his chance, I've given him years to come back to me, to choose me again, but no. He's had his chance and I'm tired of extending his time. I don't need him anymore. I've put up with too much shit already, why put myself in more pain? I'm done with him. Period.

"No." I saw Carter's lips curve up into a smile.

"Leah, you don't belong here. . ." Sam said, taking a step forward.

"Sam," I warned, keeping my stance. If I take a step backward, that would be a sign of weakness, "I'm staying."

"Leah -"

"She said she's staying, Sam." Shit. Please lord, Taha Aki, Buddha - whoever the hell is the greatest holiest man, PLEASE don't let that be Jacob!

Stepping out from behind a tree I see the exact person I did not want to see, staring past me and directly at Sam.

Thank you, most holy beings, you guys are great. I'll be sure to remember this the next time I'm in danger. Seriously, couldn't you guys give me a break for once?! Jesus!

"Jacob, you are not authorized to let her stay. These are leeches we're dealing with, something can go wrong!" Sam hissed, narrowing his eyes at Jacob.

"That's where you're wrong, Sam. You see, Leah came here by choice. She is no longer a part of your pack. You're on our turf now, Sam. I suggest you leave."

I've never heard Jacob speak like this before, like he was in charge, like. . . he was the alpha. And honestly. . . it's kind of sexy - NO! I will NOT think about my alpha this way. I said no more drama or heartache and that's what I'm gonna get.

"Jacob, we have a treaty," Sam said through gritted teeth.

"We're here to protect the Cullens, NOT destroy them. If anything, YOU should be the one worried about breaking the treaty. You're still part of the La Push pack, Sam. You lay one finger on anyone, including the Cullens, and I will personally kick your ass."

I managed to keep quiet even though I wanted to bust out laughing and kick Sam in the balls. I did crack a smile though.

Sam's face was expressionless, which actually surprised me, I thought he would've punched Jacob in the face or something. But of course, I shouldn't judge too quickly, Sam's "responsible" now. Instead of snapping at Jacob, the fucker looked towards me instead.

"Leah -"

"Sam," Jacob cut in sharply, "She's here for as long as she wants to be. You need to respect that."

"Jacob, fuck off. No one's talking to you," Sam said, sounding freakishly like his old high school self. Arrogant, cocky, confident. Yeah, that was Sam alright.

"Let's settle this like adults, okay? Jacob, calm your furry ass down, she's not going anywhere. Sean -"

"Sam," Sam corrected, crossing his arms.

"Whatever. Leah's a big girl, she can do whatever she wants. If she wants to stay, let her. If you lay a hand on her, I'll tear it off. Comprende?"

"I fully, one hundred percent, agree with Carter," I said, nodding my head in approval.

"You don't order me around, leech!" Sam growled, curling his lips back exposing his teeth.

"Ohhh, werewolf teeth, so scary," Carter mocked, making me snort. I know, snorting is not lady like. But since when did I give a fuck?

"Leah!" Sam growled.

"Give me a break, Sam! You know I can't just switch over to your pack, it doesn't work that way!" I was pissed. For an alpha, the guy was pretty thick.

"Sam, calm down," someone said. Someone whose voice sounded incredibly like Jared's.

The movement in the bushes and the gust of wind blowing his scent in my direction confirmed that it was definitely him. There is only one shape-shifter in La Push that smells like girly strawberry body spray. No, he's not gay, although he might seem like it. It's just his girlfriend who has him on a leash 24/7. She sprays that shit all over her every hour religiously. Can't complain though, at least she doesn't smell like Paul's old girlfriend who just smelled horridly like BO. That bitch was smelled horrible! Or as Quil and Embry would say, "she stanky".

"Jared, what are you doing here?" Sam asked, never taking his eyes off of Carter and I.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jared smoothly replied.

"He's just leaving," Jacob said, eyeing Sam carefully.

"Actually I'm here to bring Leah back," Sam snapped, narrowing his eyes at Jacob. "Don't wanna leave her with this traitor here."

"Let it go, Sam. If Leah wants to stay, let her. We can settle this later, Emily needs you right now." Nice Jared, bring Emily into the conversation. Very smart.

"Emily? Why, what's wrong?" Sam's attention immediately left us focusing on Jared and only Jared. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and snort.

"She's hurting, says the baby wont stop kicking," Jared said, shrugging his shoulders. "You should hurry back to her."

With a frantic look, Sam turns towards me once more with that same strained, pained face he came with and says, in a much quieter voice, "Think it over, Leah. Make the right decision."

If this situation had happened a couple of months ago, I would've ran after him, following him back to La Push. But I know better, I know why his anger suddenly dissolved, I know why he's speaking to me in a gentler tone, and I know why he didn't use forceful words. His angers gone because Jared mentioned my oh so dearest cousin, his tones much nicer because he doesn't want me to be even more pissed that he's "leaving" once again for my cousin, and he isn't using forceful words because he knows that if he did, I'd get pissed and argue with him causing him to be late to his sweet, sweet, Emily.

God I hope I don't imprint. I would never be able to live with myself kissing someones ass 24/7. I don't know how Sam, Jared, and Quil do it.

With that, Sam 'I-kiss-Emilys-Ass' Uley sped off into the woods leaving Carter, Jacob, Jared, and I.

"Is Emily really having stomach pains or whatever?" I asked Jared. Still replaying our last scenario together in my head, almost nervous that he hated me. I hoped to Taha Aki that he didn't hate me because my friendship with him was something I didn't want to lose. I've known Jared my whole life, I don't like the idea of renewing our friendship only to have it burned down again.

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p'.

"Then. . . why?" I asked, truly curious. I thought Jared was here with Sam to persuade me into going back.

"Because," he shrugged, "it's no big deal. He's gone and now you can. . . stay." He was already turning around to leave, no goodbye or anything. But then again, I sort of did the same thing so I can't really expect him to give me a lot of sympathy, can I? And I didn't actually "walk" away, I ran like hell.

"She wants to thank you, she's just too stubborn to admit it," Carter said to Jared's retreating figure.

He kept walking but turned his head towards me with a grin and said, "I know."

That was enough confirmation I needed to know that Jared didn't hate me, that our friendship was still somehow intact. I ran to him with lighting speed and wrapped my arms around his waist tightly from behind. I didn't want to lose a friendship that I had just rebuilt. I didn't want to lose the friend that was there for me before all of this supernatural nonsense occurred. I didn't want to lose a brother. I had to let him know that I did care about him and the rest of the pack. That I still valued our friendship. That he was still my best friend, and no matter where my loyalties lied, nothing was going to change that. Jared is my brother and he needs to know that I wasn't intentionally betraying the pack, our tribe. Hugging seemed much more appropriate than speaking. I was never really good with words, anyway. I also wasn't a hugger, so this meant a lot to me. I was stepping out of my comfort zone.

Jared seemed surprised at first by my hug but recovered and swiftly brought me in front of him and pulling me tightly against his chest.

"I know what you're thinking," he said quietly, "I get it, Lee. I'm not angry, I understand."

I looked up at him, still feeling the guilt eat at me, "How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"We've been friends for as long as I can remember, Lee," he laughed, "I've also had the pleasure of having your thoughts in my head for months now - I think it's safe to say I know you better than you think."

I smiled a genuine smile at that. I truly couldn't believe I had been an absolute bitch to him even after all we had been through together in our human state. God, I was a monster!

"But just keep in mind," he said in a soft voice so only I could hear, "If anything ever happens, you're always welcome to come home. We miss you, it's too quiet without you there causing havoc."

I laughed at that and hugged me again, this time tighter. "Stay safe, Leah."

I understood his displeasure of seeing us on Cullen territory. Hell, I understood why Sam didn't want us here. It isn't right. None of us were brought into this world to protect a coven of vampires. And although I find my fighting skills and speed to be quite good, I knew if it came down to it, Jacob, Seth, and I had no chance against the Cullens. We were outnumbered. Jacob and Seth may feel at ease with these vampires but I for one will always have my guard up. No way am I going to be fooled by their stupid "vegetarian diet." To be standing alongside the coven that turned my life into a living hell was bad. What's worse is the thought of having to stand against the other pack that I still consider to be my brothers. My life always seemed to be at odds with finding peace.

I watched as his retreating figure disappeared into the forest and whispered a quiet, "Bye, Jare."

* * *

Once Jared's figure finally disappeared into the forest, things got a_ little_ awkward. There was just this awkward silence between me, Jacob, and Carter. None of us really knew what to say.

"So. . . . . . ." Carter said, attempting to break the awkward silence. "What now?"

"Leah, we should get back inside," Jacob said, completely ignoring Carter.

"Actually, we weren't done talking yet," Carter interjected, moving towards me in one swift movement.

"Oh," Jacob said, flatly, "I see. Fine. Sorry for interrupting, I'll leave you two alone then."

I didn't respond. Hell, I didn't even watch him leave. He was acting like _such_ a jackass. He knew we were out here talking and he thinks that just because he was here to see the situation with Sam unfold, I'd just follow him back? Fuck that, he knows more than anyone that I don't just follow people around. Guys never change. Especially Jacob Black. Stupid prick.

"He wont stay mad for too long, at least not at you," Carter said, smirking as he watched Jacob stomp away.

"Fuck you, Carter," I growled, "Shut the fuck up."

"You see, I knew you had a thing for me from the very beginning." He was wiggling his eyebrows at me, and quite frankly, I really wanted to rip them off. That would give him something to wiggle about.

"You're a douche-bag. And what are we going to talk about, I thought you were through with what you had to tell me," I said flatly.

"Relax, I'm just tryna get you to talk. It's working isn't it?"

"You know, for a vampire, you're really fucking weird - which is a bit of a downer for you since I think all leeches are creepazoids - but you definitely take the cake."

"Thank you, you're ever so kind," he said with every bit of sarcasm he could muster.

"Just stating the obvious," I smirked. Ah yes, I can feel the bitch within me trying to claw it's way out, begging to be released.

"You know, you really shouldn't be treating your favorite vampire like this," he smirked, knowing it'd get me to shut up.

"Okay, I take back what I said earlier. You're not weird," I said, leaning against a nearby tree.

"Thanks -"

"You're just on crack," I laughed, kicking dirt at him and speeding away.

I looked behind me and was surprised to see him just inches away from me. I pushed myself to move faster, but I was caught off guard when he grabbed me from my waist and threw me over his shoulder.

"Carter! Put me down you little shit!" I hissed. I started to punch, pull, kick - _anything_ - but it was useless against his body of cement.

"No way. I've seen how you wolves have fun and I'm getting tired of how many times you guys have barbecues or sit around a fire telling stories - it's boring. I'm gonna show you how us vampires roll," he said, laughing at my many attempts of squirming out of his grip.

I wanted to laugh because that's literally all we do: have barbecues and sit around a fire on First Beach listening to each other talk. He was right, it was boring as hell. I suppose if I had my head stuck up someone else's ass like the imprinters then I wouldn't have a problem, or if I were a guy and liked to shove everything edible down my throat without chewing - then yeah, I'd probably have a blast. BUT, I don't have an imprint nor do I want one, and I also like to chew on my food. And the stories they tell! It could only be told so many times before making you want to launch yourself out of a canon! I mean come on!

"Fuck it," I said, giving in, "there's nothing better to do. Don't make me regret this, leech."

"No worries, I'll show you a good time," he grinned as he raced south toward the Oregon border.

* * *

**Jacob POV**

A vampire. She's choosing a fucking vampire over me. Why is it always leeches that get in the way of everything? First a leech ruins it for me with Bella, then another one - one that was in the process of kidnapping Leah - is taking my girl from me again! It's like every time I move a step forward, they're always two steps ahead of me. I thought that by standing up to Sam, Leah would fall back into my arms.

"She's a girl Jacob, not a puppet," Edward said, not looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

"I never said she was a puppet dumb ass, get out of my head," I snapped. You see? They're everywhere, fucking parasites.

"Always a charming young man, you are," he frowned, "Leah's not going to just fall into your arms again, you need to earn her trust."

"What the fuck do you know?"

"Fine. Don't come complaining to me when she gets back from her little adventure with Carter," he said, setting his newspapers down and proceeding up the stairs.

"Wait! What did you say?" I asked in disbelief. "What the hell do you mean by 'little adventure?'"

I was immediately bombarded with a million different scenarios of Carter and Leah getting intimate. Of course it was ridiculous of me to even think Leah would ever let a leech touch her in such a way but if she willingly let Carter take her somewhere alone, then the possibilities are endless, right?

_If he tries _anything_ with her, I will be out for blood. I. Will. Kill. Him._

He stopped midway on the staircase to turn and give me a look of disapproval. "You really should give Carter more credit, Jacob."

Leah was always the girl who loathed vampires, never wanted to go anywhere near them. Now shes running around with one. What the fuck does he have that I don't? Is she doing this to torture me?

"He's just taking her down to Portland," Edward assured me.

"Portland? For what?" I asked, frustrated that the leech was taking Leah out of the state.

"Something about showing her how vampires have fun," he said, shrugging like it didn't matter.

"You guys don't even have fun," I said flatly, "Don't you guys usually just sit around and wait until you're thirsty?" I asked, seriously confused. I've never seen these leeches do anything remotely fun. The only times they did anything other than sit around waiting to feed was when Bella was involved, and even then they didn't enjoy the festivities. They just stood in the corners looking all mysterious and shit.

"What my family considers fun is entirely different from what Carter considers fun. You have to remember that my family is about 80 or more years older than you, whereas Carter is around your age."

"He better not think he's getting laid," I growled. "I'll kill him."

"Contrary to what you believe, he seems to have taken a liking to Leah - his intentions are to purely let her have some fun to ease some of her stress," he said calmly, turning to proceed up the stairs once again.

I figure it would be better to go for a run to clear my head rather than sulking in the house of a mind reader. Besides, the smell is horrible.

I get up with a heavy sigh and exit the leech mansion quietly, kicking my clothes off and tying them around my ankle with my rope. Ready to run off into the night. It's good to run at night, the forest doesn't give you problems. The blur of the trees gives you a calming effect.

_**If you just walked away, what could I really say?**_

I've spent years trying to get the attention of Leah Clearwater and once I get it, it slips through my hands. The days spent with Leah were some of my best. I know it hasn't been long since I last held her and actually held a conversation with her, but right now it feels like it's been years since I've last been with her. Never before in my life have I ever felt more free. I didn't have to worry about how I looked or how I acted. I just had to be myself, because that's what she liked me for. Me, my personality. Not for my appearance, although I think she enjoyed looking at me just as much as I did looking at her. I hadn't seen her smile so much in a day, and being the cause of her happiness gave me pride. Now that I'm the reason of her disappointment, it kills me. I'm in that situation where you wish you could just turn back time and fix things. If I did, none of this would have happened. If I could turn back time, I'd fight for Leah and pay no attention to Bella.

_**Would it matter anyway?**_

You know that feeling in the summer time when you wake up with the sun shining down brightly on your face? That's what I felt like everyday waking up, whether it was raining like hell outside or not. I woke up each day grinning like an idiot because I had no worries. Sam always brought up imprinting - and although I constantly felt the need to give him a black eye to sport - I understand his concern. He doesn't want me to hurt Leah the same way he did, he also doesn't want me to have Leah if he can't. But. . . I truly believe that I won't ever imprint. I already feel a pull towards Leah - no not an imprinting pull, that's bullshit - it's like she's my drug. I feel detached when I'm away from her, even now as I reminisce about her, I feel it. It's like I'm addicted to her and unstable when she's not around. I've said before that I feel "complete" when she's near me, now I feel like she's a part of me that I can't really escape. I know that sounds confusing and weird, but that's literally how I feel. I mean, knowing that she's in Portland with a vampire kills me inside. It pains me to know she would prefer the company of a leech over me. Had I fucked up that much in her eyes? Had I really hurt her that much when I snapped at her at the hospital that she can't even stand to be in the same room as me? Do I even have a chance at winning her back at all? Fuck, will the pack - wait no, _packs_ - even let me get close to her again?

_**Would it change how you feel?**_

The bragging was great for a while. Being able to rub it in the packs faces that I, Jacob Black, was dating _the_ Leah Clearwater. It was fun for a while, but after a while, the bragging didn't seem all that enjoyable to me anymore. Just the fact that she was mine hit me hard, it was a huge realization to me, it meant that I had to step up my game and treat her like a lady, be the man that she always wanted and needed. I had no problem with adjusting my ways of doing things, I didn't change entirely, I just "fixed" the not so mature parts of me. I wanted her to feel comfortable walking down the street with me calling me her boyfriend rather than just a friend. I don't want to be the kind of guy to embarrass her because of my stupidity. I had to up my game.

_**I am the mess you chose, the closet you cannot close**_

I always thought - and still do think - that Leah is out of my league. But that never stopped me from pursuing her. Sure, I was an ass to her before, but that was when I was deeply infatuated with Bella. Growing up on the reservation, I realized I wasn't the only guy who wanted Leah. As a kid, I used to make up little fantasies of me being the prince rescuing her from the dragon, who was Sam Uley. She was my first crush ever. Then it came to my teenage years and that's when my hormones started going haywire. She was the center of every guys' fantasies. Guys literally bowed down to her and kissed the fucking ground she was walking on - and the funny thing is she didn't even notice she had that effect. It's funny because Seth used to think all the guys who stopped by the Clearwater house were there to play with him. He didn't get that seeing him was just an excuse to see his sister. Of course I didn't completely use my friendship with Seth just to be near Leah, Seth was already a good friend, a nice guy to be around.

_**The devil in you I suppose, cause the wounds never heal**_

_Jake? _

_Holy shit! Seth?! What are you doing?! Jesus, I didn't even feel you phase!_

_Sorry, Jake. I was just letting you know that you can go in now, I'll take over._

_Already? What time is it?_

_How long have you been out here? It's one in the morning, Jake._

Shit. I lost track of time. I had no idea I spent so much time running out here. Was I seriously that lost in my thoughts of Leah that I managed to not pay any attention to my surroundings? Fuck, this girl is driving me insane.

_Jacob, _Seth said sternly. _Not in front of me, okay?_

_Shit, sorry kid. Thanks for the heads up, I'm gonna head back now. _

_You're welcome, see ya Jake. Get some rest._

I phased out letting the shivers travel down my spine. I quickly untied the shorts from the rope around my ankle and slipped it on. I sprinted back towards the mansion assuming that Leah would be back by now, after all it _is _one in the morning.

_**But everything changes if I could, turn back the years**_

I walked up the steps of the mansion and let myself in hoping to see Leah lying on the couch, or standing in the corner away from the vampires. What I definitely expected was to see Leah arguing with Edward or Emmett. I took my time walking into the main room eagerly awaiting to see her beautiful face, except when I walked in she wasn't there. No one was. No one but Carter. To say I was confused is an understatement, pissed off might work, but then again that also isn't a strong enough word. If I could combine every word that is similar to the words angry, kill, and blood, it would describe how I really felt at the moment.

"Don't look so angry." Carter smirked. The fucker _smirked! _"I know what you're thinking."

"Fuck you, leech. Where is she?" I growled. Every word that escaped my mouth only made his smirk grow and I was almost past my limit.

"You're not very persuasive, _dog,_" he bit back, never a second off beat. Usually when I got into an argument with Edward that consists of insults, it usually takes Edward 2-5 seconds to respond back. Edward also his this annoying tendency to use words I've never even heard of to insult me. This guy though, he was around my age and his comebacks were effortless.

I was starting to shake by now, I didn't want to be too hostile with this guy but he wasn't making things any easier for me. All I wanted was to know where Leah was and if she was safe.

"Relax, Jacob. She's upstairs sleeping, last door on the left," Edward was by my side in a flash, probably worried I was going to end up destroying his house.

Leah Clearwater was sleeping on a vampires bed, in a mansion that belonged to a coven of vampires. She _never _would have done that a week ago and now suddenly she's best friends with the Cullens? What the fuck is going on here? What the fuck am I missing? Why does it feel like I'm always the last one to know things?

"She fell asleep on their way back from Portland and Seth carried her into Alice's spare room. Of course the only reason why she's so comfortable up there is because Carter got rid of our scent," Edward explained in a rather peeved voice.

That makes a lot more sense, I knew Leah wouldn't just spend the night here if it were up to her. But the image of Carter carrying her all the way back from Portland makes me sick, it really doesn't help his situation right now. He's been having physical contact with her, I want him dead. What if he was touching her while she was asleep? My anger was starting to spike up when I heard Edward hiss loudly.

"Jacob!" Edward said sharply. "She's up there, go up there and see for yourself."

I didn't say a word as I turned and darted up the stairs, almost giddy that I was going to be, once again, in close proximity of her again. I looked at Edward from the corner of my eye and saw him watching me with a wary expression, almost like he was studying me. But we all know what he's actually doing, READING MY GODDAMN MIND!

I saw him look away and clear his throat, attempting to start a conversation with Carter.

Every step I took up the stairs made the anxiety I felt from her absence, disappear. I could feel pull that drew me to her, intensify as I got closer and closer until I was at the door. I could hear my heart beating in my ears, it was steady. Calm. It's what she does to me, relaxes me.

**_If you could learn to forgive me, then I could learn how to feel_**

I opened the door slowly. Quietly. I looked straight ahead and saw her. My angel, my girl, _my _Leah, _mine_. The look on her face was so incredibly beautiful. There were no signs of anger or sadness on her face, just peace. She looked so serene, so calm. I want to touch her, I want to feel the warmth of her skin. I want to be that pillow she's hugging so tightly against her chest. I want to hold her again, to kiss her again. But most of all, I want to call her mine again.

The tightness of the pull is tugging at my heart, screaming at me to get closer but I can't. Suddenly I'm afraid. Afraid she'll wake up from her peace only to be angered by the sight of me. Instead I take a baby step forward, just to satisfy myself and the pull. The tightness didn't loosen one bit, if anything, it just got tighter. I want to move my legs forward but I can't. I'm frozen in place. Maybe later I can find the courage to actually touch her again but for now, watching her from a distance with no one around but us is just fine with me.

I slowly get entranced by her calm and steady breaths, counting how many times her heart beats in a minute. My heart just about melted when I saw her wrinkle her nose, it reminded me of the time she gave Paul her shorts. I don't know if I've ever know anyone who looked so cute when disgusted. Every once in a while her expression would change and every time it did, I always found myself smiling.

**_Sometimes the things I say, in moments of disarray_**

"Jake. . ." she whispered. My heart dropped and my breath caught.

I could tell she was still asleep, but I really wanted her to wake up right now. I wanted her to keep talking. She said my name, that has to count for something right? She's dreaming of me - that's a good sign, right?

I want to hold her so badly. I swear I'm on the brink of collapsing on the bed next to her and hugging her body close to mine, but that last little thread of my consciousness is still holding me back.

"Jake. . ."You." she whispered.

That did it. I felt that last thread snap and I fell onto the bed gently, leaning over her frame, begging her to keep talking.

"What is it, Lee?" I whispered.

"Please. . . don't leave me. . ." I couldn't help but beam at her sleep-talking face. I wanted to ravish her, to kiss her, but that would wake her and she'd probably punch me in the face and push me out the window.

"Never, baby," I assured her. I brushed my lips lightly across her forehead making that electric feel I've been craving so much, run through my veins, making me feel alive again.

A small gasp escaped her lips which instantly formed into a smile. That's all the confirmation I needed. She felt it too, I wasn't the only one with the urgency of closeness.

Leah still wants me.

**_Succumbing the games we play_**

I don't know how, I don't know when, but I _will _win Leah back. I sure as hell do not see Carter as competition; he's a leech, it would never work. I need a strategy, something that will tell her that I want her and only her. Of course it's going to be butt-fucking difficult with Bella around but I'm willing to put one hundred percent of my effort into it.

**_To make sure that it's real_**

Convincing Leah to take me back is one thing, convincing her brother is another, convincing the pack is also something I'd have to deal with. I already screwed up with Seth after I told him I wouldn't ever hurt his sister so odds are, he's gonna give me hell if I ask him anything about Leah ever again. And then of course there's the acceptance from Sue which is just gonna be straight-up awkward. Last but not least, even if I really don't give a damn about their opinions, I wanna be sure the guys, minus Sam, are supportive of me winning Leah back. I really do need them all as my wing men. Even if I know they're pissed with my behavior, one can only hope.

**_When it's just me and you, _****_who knows what we could do_**

It's gonna be different. I don't expect everything to go back to how they were. It'll be a good change, a change for the better. Besides, don't fights and arguments make a relationship stronger? Well, at least that's what I heard from Rebbecca when she was in high school. People change, relationships change, appearances change, and feelings change.

**_If we could just make it through_**

I know for sure my feelings for Leah have changed. I don't just like her anymore. My feelings for her intensified by a ton, I moved a few steps back from the her and I already feel a heavy weight on my shoulders, I feel another binding rope weaving its way between Leah and I, tying itself around us. My heart is in tune with hers, that's something that's never happened before with anybody else. I have no fears when I'm with her, no fear of imprinting, no fear of life, no fear of anything. Just fear of her leaving me. My emotions are on high, and my feelings intensified and shot straight past heaven.

**_Through this part of the day_**

"Everything changes, now, Lee. I swear on the spirits, I _will_ get you back. You _will_ be mine again." I whisper, taking one last glance at her before I shut the door behind me.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, so if all of you feel like murdering me because of the SUPER late update, I don't blame ya. But before you all strangle me, let me explain, lol. First semester was hell, I had to rush through and I was stressing about finals. I got great grades at the end though :) Then second semester came around and I screwed up third quarter but luckily grades don't count until AFTER fourth quarter at the end of the semester :) Also I've been dealing with my confirmation class at church and my computer wasn't working for a while :/ but I finally updated, don't think I forgot about any of you wonderful people. I hope this chapter was alright, I feel a little rusty, I haven't been writing a lot ;) Please give me your feedback! Ohhh, and the song in the story is called "Everything Changes" by Staind.


	21. A new addition

Chapter 21: A New Addition

**Jacob's POV**

It's raining again. Like _that's_ a surprise. It had been raining real hard since last night that I eventually decided to call off patrol. Once I left Leah's room last night, I waited until Seth made it back to the mansion and reminded him to inform Leah that her 4 am shift was called off. I passed out on the sofa with a huge grin on my face. The image of Leah calling out my name in her sleep was something I would remember forever. Anyone who knows Leah - which is my pack and Sam's - know that when she's having a nightmare or is uncomfortable, she shifts her sleeping position every 5 minutes. Seriously. I'm not even joking. If Leah's not having a good night, she'll be tossing and turning all night long. But last night. . . I mean at first she was uncomfortable, and then she called out my name. Once I responded to her calls, touched her for the first time in what felt like centuries, she relaxed. She slept peacefully and comfortably after that. But if Leah had a good night last night and didn't have to patrol this morning, why the hell isn't she here? Seth assured me that he had informed her of the patrol change, but he also told me that he was half-asleep when he told her and that he immediately fell asleep afterwards.

It's 8 am, it's raining just as hard as it was last night, and Leah is nowhere in sight.

"You're worried," a voice said from behind me. I turned and saw that it was the emotion controller, Jasper. He was looking out the window, watching the rain fall just as I was, with a expressionless face.

I chose not to answer to him.

"She's fine, you know," he said, looking at me from the corner of his eye. I didn't know if he was referring to Bella or Leah.

"Who are you talking about?" I asked, slightly annoyed that he could read me so easily. It's bad enough I had to deal with his mind-reading "brother," but to also have him reading and being able to control my emotions was too much.

"Leah. The both of you make my emotions go haywire," he informed me, "I felt the intensity of the emotions from the both of you last night."

"So you were eavesdropping?" I asked, clenching my fist.

"No. Vampires don't sleep and we would have been able hear you anyway," he shrugged, looking almost human-like. Almost.

Oh. "Well how do you know she's okay?" I asked, crossing my arms and turning to fully face him.

"I was out here when she left. I didn't want to bother her and ask where she was heading because she had a very content and stable mindset. You can ask Edward, he was here with me."

"Well -"

"-AAAAHHHHHHH!" Bella's terrifying, piercing scream, filled the room and everyone flew up the stairs to Carlisle's lab. I STILL haven't been able to see Bella for myself because Carlisle said she's under medication and needs lots of rest. But since she's awake now, I should be able to see her.

"Bella! Are you okay?" I ask, pounding my fists desperately against the locked doors.

"Jake? Is that you?" her voice sounded raspy, like she hasn't been given anything to drink for days.

"You need to lie on your back, Bella." Although Carlisle was speaking softly, I could hear the gentleness of his voice from outside the doors.

"Edward!" I yell, angrily. "I know you're in there, open the goddamn door!"

"Jacob, you are to remain outside," Edward responded through gritted teeth.

"Edward, let him in," Bella pleaded.

"No. He might hurt you."

"HURT HER?" I growled. "I swear, if you don't open this motherfucking door, I will personally rip-"

Edward opened the door with a furious expression and said, "Watch your language, _dog_."

He normally ignored my swearing, but since his "mother" was here, he saw it fit to chastise me on my language. As if I care. The only thing I see, the only thing I care about, is the girl lying on the bed with a giant, deformed-looking stomach. I walked slowly toward her. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. I will not cry over her again. I've shed enough tears over this one girl. I want to hug her but I don't want to touch her stomach at all. I don't know what's growing inside of her. Sam could be right, it could be an abomination, a mutant spawn. Whatever it is, I hate it already. She's slowly dying, sacrificing her life for the damn thing she calls a baby. I hate Edward even more than I did before now, because now he's truly gone and fucked things up. Not only did he take away the girl I wanted, but he's planted his leech-seed in her that's slowly killing her. Fuck if I care if he can read my thoughts. Since when did I ever give a damn about his feelings? Bella's an idiot for even wanting to keep the thing too. I mean, obviously all of the Cullens, minus the blonde bitch, are wary about the growing thing. If the vamps are scared of the thing, then maybe Sam really is right. But IF Sam is right, I _still _wouldn't side with him because I don't want to murder the girl I once loved. No matter the circumstances, Bella is still my best friend.

"Jake. . . . I missed you," she manages to say weakly.

Looking at her now, I see that she's different. Obviously she's going to look different if she's pregnant, but still. I know Bella didn't marry the leech because she was secretly hiding the fact that she was pregnant. I didn't pay attention in Health class but I know it takes at least 3 months for a woman to start getting bigger. Bella's bigger than big - shes freaking huge. She literally looks like she's about to pop any minute, like she's been pregnant for the full nine months already. Bella has always been a pale girl, but not like _this._ Looking at her now, I can see how her eyes have sunk in and how dark the circles under her eyes really are. Bella looks like death, straight up. But even beyond her frail stature, I can see her happiness. This really is what she wants.

"I missed you too, Bells," I say, looking down at my feet.

"What's-wrong, Jake?" She asks in between coughs.

Edward is at her side in an instant, brushing away the loose strands of hair on her face I didn't want to touch. Bella looks up at him and smiles a weak, yet sincere, smile. I almost want to puke when I see him smile back at her and plant a kiss on on her forehead.

"Carlisle," Edward calls. "Blood."

Oh, I know I did not just hear that correctly. "Blood?" My eyes are bulging, I'm sure, and my mouth is in a thin, tight line.

"Here you are, sweetie," Carlisle says as he hands a cup with a straw to Bella.

I could smell the blood, the smell of salt, of metal. I don't understand how the leeches find this shit appetizing because all it's making want to do is vomit. I watch as Bella lightly places her lips onto the straw. My heart skips a beat when she starts to suck on the straw and see her eyes close in satisfaction. Every gulp she takes only makes my heart ache because it's not really Bella that wants the blood. It's the _thing_ inside her that does.

"Mmmm," she moans, satisfied.

I flinch at her satisfaction, scared and furious she's becoming more and more like _them_.

"Jake," Seth whispers, putting all his effort into not looking at Bella. "We need to go. Three from Sam's pack are on their way."

Fucking, Sam. I can never get a break from the guy. He's always ruining everything. Not that there's anything here that wasn't always ruined, I'm just saying. . .

"Okay," I nod. "I'll be out. Any sign of Leah yet?" It hurt to mention her name, especially when I've been focusing all of my attention on the Bella. I feel the guilt make it's way through my veins, slithering around my heart, and finally landing on my brain. I want Leah, I know that for sure. I Just - I don't know what I want from Bella. I think I want Bella too, though. Or wanted. The Bella inside isn't the Bella I envisioned myself with. I know I can't have Bella, I've accepted that. I just can't let go and I have no idea why I'm still torturing myself over her. I had Leah, but then I lost her. Convincing her to come back to me is going to be a bitch, but I'll make it happen somehow. As much as Bella occupies my mind, I can't ignore the feelings I have for Leah. Last night with her happened for a reason, it's a sign. A sign telling me she and I somehow belong. I just hope I don't prove myself wrong.

"Yeah, she's on her way," he says. He almost sounds irritated, but that could just be my imagination. Seth doesn't get irritated.

"You're leaving?" Bella asks in a saddened voice. Some of her old color is starting to return, I can see the faint blush on her cheeks. She looks much more healthier. Alive, if you would. Seeing her drink blood is probably the most repulsive thing I've ever seen, but if it makes her look a little like her old self again, I'll take it.

"I have to. I'll be back later," I assure her, giving her a weak smile. She just nods, and lays her head back onto her pillow with a small sigh.

I rush down the stairs and out the door and see three human figures, just like Seth had said, walking towards the Cullen mansion. I sprint over to where Seth is waiting and nod at him. I look towards the walking figures and am able to make out their faces. Jared, Paul, and Quil. I'm a little taken aback by the three I see. I was expecting to see Sam, and I was hoping to see Embry. To my left, I see that Seth looks just as confused as I do. He too is probably wondering why they hadn't brought Sam or Embry. I see Sam's boys. Seth's with me. So where's Leah?

"Hey," Jared greets us. "How are you guys?"

"Swell," I respond impatiently. I look at Quil and notice that he's looking everywhere but at me.

Jared looks around, confused, and asks, "Where's Leah?"

"Right here," Leah says, walking out from behind the bushes. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"

_At least she's safe like the leech said,_ I try to tell myself.

"I see the vampires are treatin' you well," Jared jokes, attempting to lighten the mood. I hear snorts from both Paul and Leah. Typical. Their head snap in each others direction, then quickly the other way.

From the corner of my eye, I see Leah narrow her eyes curiously at Jared, Paul, and Quil. She's taken her place to my left, not without glaring at Seth of course, who just happened to be in the 'Beta' position.

"Just get to the point Jared. Why are you here?" I ask, crossing my arms so he knows I'm being serious.

Jared shrugs and stuffs his hands in his pockets, "Just wanted to visit, see how things are goin' with the bloodsuckers."

"Jared," I growl. "Either you tell me what the fuck is going on or you three can trot your sorry asses back to La Push."

"Fine," he says in a blank tone, "Sam wants you all back. We all do. He promises not to do anything irrational. He says we'll think everything through as a pack."

I let out a deep breath. I knew it. "I came here for a reason, Jared. You all know that, I'm here to protect the Cullens. Seth and Leah are free to leave anytime they want, I won't make them stay if they don't wish to." I try to sound calm, but to be honest, I wouldn't be able to handle not being in a close proximity of Leah. Even though she hates me at the moment, I won't force her to stay. But I really, _really_ hope she chooses to stay. Seth too, the kids great.

"Screw this, let's go. They obviously enjoy kissing vampire ass. Come on, I've got better shit to do than to deal with this." Paul will never change. He's not shaking, which is pretty surprising. He does look annoyed though.

"I am _not _kissing vampire ass," Leah snarls at Paul.

I love how she doesn't bother to mention that Seth and I don't either. Typical, Leah.

"Looks like it, otherwise you wouldn't be here," Paul says, snarling back at her and making the tremors on my back shake furiously.

Leah's hands are balled into fists and her body is trembling violently, "You have two seconds to start running before I tear your balls off and feed them to the bloodsuckers."

Always the sentimental person, Leah is.

That put Paul over the edge because he phased in an instant, shredding his clothes, and was growling at Leah menacingly.

"Paul! Get a grip, you dumbass!" Jared hisses, flicking one of Paul's wolf ears.

If this wasn't such a serious situation, I would have been rolling on the ground laughing. Jared flicking Paul's ear is _classic_. I mentally made a note to myself to never forget that.

With an angry huff, Paul slowly backed away from Leah, teeth bared and all. I bet if Jared hadn't stopped Paul, Leah would've been able to take him anyway.

Jared rolls his eyes at the two before turning his attention back to me, "Listen Jake, I'm not here to make you guys come back. I'm here because it was an order. I'm just simply doing what Sam told me to. Be safe, take care."

Before they could turn to walk away, I asked where Embry was.

"Home. Sam didn't want him to come," Quil says in a quiet voice. He was _still_ avoiding my gaze.

"Why?" Embry's a good fighter. Why would Sam make him stay behind?

"Hell if we know," Jared shrugs. The three of them turn and walk the opposite direction. I see Quil turn around and finally look at me, giving me an apologetic look. The three of us watch the walking figures turn into tiny figures and eventually disappear.

"He's lying, you know," Leah says, still looking in the direction they were walking.

"Who? About what?" I ask, a little too enthusiastically. It feels like years since she's actually spoken to me.

"Jared. About not knowing why Embry isn't here."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"Yeah, how _do _you know?" Seth repeats, raising an eyebrow.

"You're both idiots," she says, rolling her eyes. "Did you see how Quil completely avoided looking at you? I know you noticed how uncomfortable he was. He feels like he's betraying you by staying in Sam's pack. The only thing that's holding him back is Claire."

"What does this have to do with Embry?" Seth asks. Good thing too, I was just about to ask that.

"Quil has an imprint," she answers, saying that last part with disgust, "Embry doesn't. Embry doesn't have anything holding him back like Quil does. If Sam would have let Embry come, Embry would have ditched Sam's pack in an instant. Sam obviously realized this, that's why he _ordered _them not to say a word."

Typical. It sounds like Sam.

"How do you know all of this?" I ask, finally noticing the new outfit she has on. Tank top and sweats. Casual, yet cute.

"Because I know Sam," she snaps, before turning on her heels and walking away.

I grab her wrist before she could take a step and instantly let go at the burning sensation of her skin. You know that feeling when you touch a metal object and it shocks you? Think of it like that, but times a hundred. The shock was so intense, I literally felt the burn seep through my skin.

Judging by her wide eyes, and her slightly parted lips, I figured she felt it too. We just stood there staring at each others hands, not saying a word. It takes a cough and a clearing of a throat from Seth to snap back to reality.

Leah shifts uncomfortably. She's biting her lip and avoiding my gaze. And for some odd apparent reason, I smirk. I smirk because I like it. I like it because. . . . because it means that I still have that affect on her. She still wants me. I chuckle at the thought because even though she still might want me, she's not going to make it easy at all. In fact, she's going to make it nearly impossible.

"_What _are you laughing at?" she growls, glaring at me with such venom.

"Nothing," I lie, shrugging. "Where were you today?"

"Don't try to change the subject on me, Black." I see we're back to last names. And she's not going to let this go. Just my luck.

"Will you both just shut up for once? I swear, listening to you two argue is so much worse than having 7 other people in your head," Seth says, folding his arms across his chest.

"Fine." We both say. She's trying not to look at me. I'd do the same but I just can't seem to look away from her.

"Good. Now that that's settled, you wanna tell us where the hell you were, Leah?" Seth asks in the similar irritated tone he used with me earlier.

"I went back to tell mom about us, moron," Leah says, rolling her eyes.

"You went back to La Push?" I all but yell at the same time that Seth screeches, "You told mom?"

"Yes and yes," she says in an expressionless tone.

"I can't believe you told mom! God Leah, you're so stupid!" Seth yells, frustrated. He's pacing, and his footsteps are more like stomps.

"_I'm _stupid? Seth you know for a fact that I am very capable of kicking your ass." Yup, Leah's pissed.

This actually gets Seth to shut up _and _stop pacing. Wise decision, kid.

"Leah-" I start to say, but am cut off by her.

"And YOU!" She screams, jabbing a finger at me, "Stop being such a jackass. Stay out of this!"

She's fuming. Her anger was actually starting to anger me.

"Oh, _I'm_ a jackass? Nice Leah, that's rich. Maybe if you stopped the bitch-act I wouldn't have to act like this." I hadn't meant for my words to come out harsh, but that's what Leah does to me. I can't think straight with her. She either makes me furious, ecstatic, or depressed. And when I'm feeling one of those particular emotions, it's very hard for me to get a grip on myself. Like right now, she's pissed me off and now I can't hold my tongue from saying things I know I will regret later on.

I hear a low growl from Seth, and the look he gives me tells me that he isn't too happy with my choice of words for his sister.

"Yes, and you are the biggest asshole I have _ever_ met-"

"Well if you ask me-"

"Well I _didn't _ask you, so you can shut the fuck up you good for nothing son of a bitch!" She's already starting to walk away, but I'm right on her heels.

"Yes, that's right, walk away. It's what you're good at doing, right?" I snarl, trailing very closely behind her. I shouldn't even be following her, I should be shutting my big mouth and let her cool off. I can't help but follow her though. I was so close behind her. So close, I swear I would have walked right into her if I didn't have super in-human reflexes. She turns around abruptly with eyes filled with rage and punches me square in the nose. For her satisfaction, there is a loud crack. For mine, well. . . . I now have a broken, bloody nose, and a very amused looking Seth staring down at me. I knew Leah Clearwater could punch hard, but I had no idea her right hook was _this _bad. I would have ducked if I knew she was going to turn around and pop me one.

"You are the biggest, ignorant, most hypocritical, bastard I have ever met. I can't believe I stooped so low and dated you, you asshole."

She left me there, bleeding. I didn't know whether to be pissed or hurt. I guess I could be both, but my mind is too consumed with what Leah said. Yes, I'm hurt with the fact that she regrets dating me. No scratch that, it doesn't only hurt, it literally breaks my heart. I'm trying my absolute hardest to keep myself from running after her and apologizing a billion times. I'm going to have a lot of time moping to myself about that very painful memory. I know it really isn't something to fuss over because Leah likes to insult people all the time. When someone's as pissed like she was just mere seconds ago, you know every insult they throws at you has meaning behind it. Which brings me back to my lame fussing over what she had called me. She called me a hypocrite and I don't understand why. See? Lame, I know. But I happen to be a very loyal person and I never go back on my word. So why would she call me a hypocrite? What have I done wrong? We get into arguments like this all the time. Why is this any different. I know for a fact that I am _not _a hypocrite. But apparently Leah thinks otherwise.

"If you think you're gonna get answers from me, think again." Seth says, helping me up.

Seth's a good kid, but he's always looked up to me and I don't know why. He just does. The kid has never been anything but good to me. That's part of the reason why I accept what he's saying to me, the other reason is because if I not so much as lay a finger on him, Leah would be on my ass in an instant. And I kind of need to stay in her good graces for her to take me back. I know, I'm doing a fabulous job, aren't I? Just fucking brilliant. I get a moment with her, and that moment is ruined by our tempers.

"I know, kid."

"With the way you and my sister act, I'd say I'm the adult in this pack, _kid,_" he snorts, rolling his eyes. It's amazing how much Leah has rubbed off on him. Seriously, I bet if Seth and Leah were standing side-by-side, and they both rolled their eyes at the same time, they'd look identical. It's a Clearwater thing, I guess, because Sue Clearwater can do it just as well, if not, better. No one messes with that lady.

"Okay, I deserved that," I sigh.

"You deserve a lot more than that," Seth clarifies, then chuckles, "but Leah cleared it up with that falcon punch."

* * *

I don't know what hurts more, swallowing my pride and letting the vampire I hate the most tend to my injury, or the actual tending of the injury.

"You know, you could at least _try _to hide your thoughts. I _am_ the one fixing your nose, after all," Edward says, swiftly pulling my nose back into is place.

"MOTHERFU - GOD THAT HURT LIKE A _BITCH!_" _You fucking son of a bitch! You could of at least warned me that you were gonna do it!_

The pixie leech, Alice, had her hand over her mouth, trying to hide her smile. Her mate, Jasper, was standing against the door-frame next to her with a smirk on his face.

"You control emotions." I'm directing my comment toward Jasper. It's not a question.

"Yes," he answers, quirking an eyebrow.

"Then why didn't you. . . . oh, I don't know, _numb _me?" The bloodsucker was actually gonna just stand there and let me take the excruciating pain while he's perfectly capable of easing my pain? The sick, bastard.

"Because you deserved to feel the pain," he replies smoothly. I hear Seth snort, and bust into laughter. I shoot him a death glare from across the room that eventually gets him to shut up, but not before he rolls his eyes.

"Whats that suppose to mean?" I growl, baring my teeth. I see Edward roll his eyes and take a seat on the farther end of the bed.

What the hell is up with everyone rolling their eyes? Seriously, with the alarming rate that people keep doing it, it's going to go out of style soon.

"We heard you. Her. Everything that happened. We weren't exactly eavesdropping, we have enhanced hearing. Your screaming doesn't help either." He responds like it's an easy thing to do. Normally people try to sugar-coat their answers, but this leech isn't hiding anything. But I suppose I answered my own question. I did say _people _sugar-coat their answers, and well, Jasper isn't human. Actually wait, forget everything I just said. Leah is a person and she sure as hell doesn't sugar-coat _any _of her answers.

"Fan-fucking-tastic," I hiss, mentally slapping myself for not remembering that the bloodsuckers had just as good hearing as we did.

"I agree with Jazz," I hear a voice pipe in. A voice I'm not very fond of. A voice I could of gone an eternity not hearing. The voice of Carter. Maybe I was being over dramatic earlier, maybe I hate Carter more than I hate Edward.

Nah, I still hate Edward more.

I hear a sarcastic snort from Edward and choose not to make a smart ass remark. I don't want to waste my breath on someone who's already dead.

_Relax, bloodsucker. He's not far behind you on my "hate list."_

"How rewarding," Edward said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

I decided to join the bandwagon and roll my eyes, just for dramatic effects. I turn my attention back to Carter and narrowed my eyes. "I didn't ask for your opinion, _leech._ Who the hell gave you the permission to come in here, anyway?"

"Does my being here bother you, Jacob?" he's smiling cheekily, and I'm resisting the urge to march over there to wipe that stupid grin from his face and beat the living lights out of him. Well, technically he's dead, but I'll kill him. Again.

"Get the hell out of here or I will personally -"

"Someone's coming. One of Sam's," Edward abruptly says, cutting me off.

"Who?" I ask, infuriated that Sam decided to send someone else to try to convince us to go back. Well, with the recent Leah-Jacob fiasco that happened earlier, I'm sure it wont be too hard to convince Leah.

"He's in the forest with Leah, right out of hearing range -"

"He's with Leah? Who is he?" Seth and I both ask.

"Embry Call."

Oh shit. What the hell is he doing here? And what is he doing with Leah? This isn't good. They're going to say something to one another that pisses the other off and they'll end up killing each other.

"Wrong."

Huh? "Who are you talking to?" I ask.

"Both of you. You and Seth were thinking the same thing. Leah and Embry are getting along fine. I won't tell you what they're talking about of course, you're the Alpha and what they're discussing is for you to decide. Not me."

"I hate you," I say, seething with anger.

"I would say the feeling is mutual, but that would be a lie. I owe you so much, you really helped Bella through a lot," he says before dismissing himself.

"I'd go out there and see what's going on if I were you. Just sayin'," Carter says, shrugging his shoulders.

"Get the fuck out of my way, leech," I growl, shoving the vampire to the side with Seth on my heels.

Surprisingly, Carter doesn't do anything to retaliate.

"Jacob." It's Jasper.

"What?" I snap, impatiently.

"Apologize to her," he says.

"Thanks, , will do."

With that, I'm out the door, down the stairs, and running towards the forest. I see them watching me with smirks on their faces. They're just standing there, fully clothed, both leaning against trees across from each other.

"Embry what the hell are you doing here?" I fume, once I get close enough.

"I'm here to join the pack." And just like that, his smirk is gone and is replaced with a serious face.

Wait. Come again? Did he just-

"What?" I ask, not able to comprehend what just happened.

"I'm here to join the pack," he repeats, this time slower, enunciating every word.

"Absolutely not. Come on, bro, this really isn't what you want. You're much safer with Sam." Maybe if I convince him enough, he'll just turn and go back to Sam's pack. Although I miss my best friend and want his company, I don't want him to leave his safety out of loyalty for me.

"Too late. Once I decided to join your pack, my mind link with the Sam's pack disappeared and I was met with very, uh, _congenial_ thoughts from Leah." He's speaking with confidence and winking at a smirking Leah. I should be pissed, but I'm not. Jealous, maybe. Okay, maybe is an understatement. The fact that Leah isn't glaring daggers at Embry or even feels the need to rip his head off gives me the right to feel jealous.

"And you _tried _going back?" I ask, skeptical.

"Nope," he says, popping the 'p'. "It's about where your loyalties lie, Jake. I can't be part of a pack that I'm not loyal to. It's unfair. Plus, Sam's been giving me a headache."

"Fine," I resign, stuffing my hands in my pockets and smirking. "Welcome to the pack."

"I knew you'd come through, Jake!" Embry laughs, embracing me and clapping me on the back.

"Yeah, just don't go inviting people to join the pack," I laugh, but we both know I'm serious.

"I won't. But Quil is on the verge of ditching Sam too. It's the loyalty thing, Jake. I give him about 4 days until he joins," Embry says.

"3 days," Leah says, disagreeing.

"What the hell, 2 days," Seth says, joining in on the conversation, grinning.

"Wait, I thought Sam ordered you not to come here with Jared and them?" It's impossible to not listen to the alpha command.

"He did."

"Then how the hell are you here?" I ask, exasperated.

"He ordered me not to come here with Jared, Paul, and Quil. He never said anything about staying in his pack." Embry is one sneaky bastard. It's because of him that me, Quil, and him never got in trouble for causing mayhem when we were younger. Embry had a way with words with adults and man was he good at it. If it weren't for him, Quil and I would probably be locked up by now.

"Huh." Its the only thing I manage to say, if that's even a word. Probably not.

"Well since that's settled, who's beta?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

You know what's the one thing people know about Embry, Quil, and I? We're all over-confident. Always so sure of ourselves. Take now for instance, Embry's convinced he's gonna get the beta position. But the oceans will freeze over before I ever have to choose between Embry and Quil.

"Leah," I say without even thinking. I want to slap myself, but that wouldn't look too attractive, especially if I'm trying to impress a very pissed off Leah Clearwater. I could have had Seth be my Beta, but what the hell. Leah's name slipped out, and that's got to mean something, right? I just hope she doesn't use this new authority to torture us. I won't be able to command any of the guys, or Leah, for that matter. What I _do_ know is that Leah won't think twice about ordering any of us around. Even if I am alpha, she'll try to use her authority just to make sure it really won't work on me. I already blurted out her name, better stick with it. God knows if I take it back and say "I mean, Seth, not Leah," she'll surely kick my ass.

I expected a frown from Embry and a smirk from Leah. What I didn't expect was to see was the opposite of what I thought I'd see. I see a frowning Leah and a smirking Embry.

Great. Fuck my life.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know I haven't updated in 2 or 3 months. I'm sorry, I know you all are tired of hearing that, but its true. But the good news is I'm finally done with summer school and I will be able to update every week like I use to! HOORAY! Great news, right? Well anyway, I kind of meant for this chapter to be a filler, but it turned out a little more dramatic than I intended. I'm happy with it though, and I hope you all are too.

Reviews, please! =) & it is soooooooo good to be back ;)


	22. Suspicion

**Chapter 22: Suspicion**

**Leah POV**

He's an idiot. A _big_ fucking idiot.

Sure, being beta would be great. But does he think that I'm dumb enough to not see past his stupid plan? Naming me beta is his way of apologizing to me. Please. Just because he names me beta doesn't mean I'm gonna just forgive him. He knows better than that. But since he's already named be beta, I'm going to rightfully cling to that spot because there is no way in hell that I am going to be taking orders from Seth, Embry, and _especially _Quil - when he eventually joins. Who knows what nasty, horrifying things Quil will attempt to make me do. All having to do with me being shirtless, I assume. There is no way Jacob Black is going to sit there, name me beta, and then change his mind later on and have one of his friends take my position. Nope, I'm not going to let it happen. He's going to have to kill me before he even thinks about letting one of his retard friends boss me around.

Even if I am a little happy that I'm ranked high, I still can't hide the irritation that's shown on my face. Not that I want to hide it anyway. I expected Embry to frown, but the idiot next to me has a huge smirk on his face that was just begging me to smack off. I, on the other hand, have deepened the frown that had already been formed on my face.

"Congrats, Leah," Seth says sincerely.

A normal person would have thought that Seth would be angry - betrayed, even - more so than Embry, with Jacob naming me beta. Why? Well that's really a no-brainer. Seth was the first to join Jacob's pack, just like Jared was the first to join Sam's. It would only make sense for Jacob to name Seth his beta. I'm shocked, to say the least, but I shouldn't be. Seth surprises me everyday. He truly is a good person, so selfless. I expected to at least see a look of confusion, or an angry huff from him, but all I saw was a huge grin and a sigh of relief. He's smiling, no sign of aggravation or jealousy at all. I know he's genuinely happy for me, his tone of voice and his smile confirms it.

I want to say thanks and return his stupid happy-go-lucky smile, but all I can manage to do is grunt in response. Believe me, I really did try to smile back, but it probably came out as a scowl.

Seth being Seth, rolls his eyes at me and grins. He knows more than anyone how hard it is for his irritable big sister to crack a smile. It's disappointing, I know.

"So would you rather have me call you Leah or beta?" Embry asked, grinning widely. God, I'm so close to punching him in the nose.

"Embry, shut up," I say through gritted teeth.

"I'm just sayin," he laughs, putting his hands up in defense.

"Just don't say anything," I snapped, folding my arms.

"Yes, beta," Embry pipped, before ruffling my hair and running away.

I stood there seething, watching the punk run away from me. It'd be way too easy to catch up to him and I'm sure he knew that too. I stood rooted to my spot, deciding whether or not I should catch him and beat him to a bloody pulp, or wait until he comes back and _then _beat him to a bloody pulp. I chose the second option. The first option was a little too time-consuming for my liking. Besides, wouldn't it be amusing to see Embry _have _to make his way back to us and have me delightfully kick his ass? Yeah, I'm definitely choosing the second option for sure.

I heard Jacob cursing under his breath and muttering something incoherent about 'best friends' and 'women.'

"You aren't gonna run after him?" Seth asks, shocked.

"Nope," I say, popping the 'p'. "He'll come back."

"Right," Seth says, rolling his eyes. "Anyways, what are we gonna do about patrol now, Jake?"

"What do you mean?" Jacob asks, furrowing his brows.

"We have four people now. Aren't we suppose to have a schedule now or something? Patrol in pairs?"

Jacobs face slowly relaxes, and speaks in a casual voice, "Right. Uhh, me and Le-"

"I think I should stick with Embry," I say, cutting him completely off. I have absolutely no desire to be patrolling with Jacob and having him in my head. I already have enough problems as it is, don't need to be adding another one.

Jacob's face noticeably darkens. "And why is that?"

He sounds angry.

"Someone has to show the idiot the ropes." I shrug. Technically I'm not lying. It's true. Embry's new and unless Jacob wants to deal with Embry and his excessive questions -which I doubt he does - I'm the person for the job. He also can't just partner Seth with Embry. That would make no sense at all. He has to think logically about this. If he paired me with Seth or Embry, everything would be at ease because each patrol pair would have an authority figure running the circuits. Why have an alpha and beta running patrol together? To see who throws out more orders than the other? Not that Jacob would throw out random orders, but I sure as hell wouldn't hesitate to have him do my dirty deeds. Jacob is so against orders it'd be an easy win for me. So no, that would definitely not work. He _can_ be with Embry. That _could_ work. But I'm sure if Embry were his partner, he'd be bombarded with enough questions to last him a lifetime. It's only right that he puts Embry with me because one, Embry wouldn't think twice about annoying me in wolf form, two, I'm not afraid to order him around, and three, I _still _have to kick his ass. Seth, I can tell, doesn't give a damn who he's partnered with. From the looks of his annoyed face, he just wants to know who he's with so he can get the hell out of here.

Jacob and I cannot be paired together. He absolutely, under all circumstances, know that I am completely miserable without him.

"Seth -"

"Please don't bring me into this," Seth pleads, taking a voluntary step back.

"Embry -"

"- is new, so he should be-"

"Will you stop interrupting me?" Jacob yells, trying his hardest to keep his breathing at bay. He doesn't want to phase, not now. That would show that I got under his skin. Again. The sun would have to stop orbiting the earth for Jacob to actually show weakness and lose to someone. Especially me.

I didn't answer him. Instead, I just stood there with a blank expression, waiting for him to continue.

"Seth?" Jacob calls, never looking away from me. I'm looking at him, but not _at _him. You know when you're on stage giving a speech, and you see the audience pay their full attention on you and you get nervous as hell? You can't just leave the stage and say "screw this." There are several different tricks so that you don't piss yourself in front of everyone. There's also always the tactic of imagining your audience in their underwear, but that little trick has done nothing but leave me feeling even more uncomfortable for trying to imagine everyone in their underwear. Who does that? If I pictured my alpha in his underwear, it would take all my self-control to restrain myself from jumping him. I _still _haven't forgiven the fact that Seth walked in on Jacob and I almost doing the dirty. Jacob in his underwear isn't good for me for two specific reasons: one, I'd want to take him on the spot, and two, Jacob doesn't wear underwear which will only ignite my horny-meter. So I'm gonna settle for the _other _trick, the one that actually seems would be appropriate. The trick where you stare at a persons forehead, or the bridge of their nose, so it looks like you're giving them attention your full attention.

I stared at the bridge of his nose, at his forehead. Whatever. I didn't want to make eye contact with him. I haven't really looked him in the eye ever since we broke up. I have good reasons for not doing so too. I don't want to look into the warmth of his brown eyes, the same eyes that use to call out to me. I would want to run into his arms if I looked into his eyes. As furious as I am with him, I still want him. All of him. But I can't claim him like I rightfully claimed my beta position. That ship has long sailed the moment Bella stepped foot on the reservation. As much as I want to rip her eyes out of their sockets, I have to admit that even I can't compete with Bella 'fucking' _Cullen_. Jacob never really had to "choose" because she was never an option, it always was and always will be her. I, on the other hand, was never even an option for him. Ever. I suppose I was probably just the rebound chick, the one to keep his thoughts occupied with. But screw it, it's not like it matters anymore since he obviously ditched me for her. Fuck him. Fuck her. Fuck the leeches. Fuck my life.

"Yes?" Seth answers warily, slowly walking towards him.

"What are your thoughts?"

"Well. . . . I think Leah's right. I think she should pair up with Embry," Seth said slowly, watching for Jacob's reaction.

I was inwardly grinning and mentally doing a happy dance. I could kiss Seth right now. _Could, _but I won't.

"Fine," Jacob snapped. "Leah, you will patrol with Embry."

"Cool. Embry and I will patrol once he gets back from hiding," I said, walking past him towards the leech mansion.

"Where are you going?" Jacob asked, grabbing me by the elbow and spinning me around.

I bit my tongue from gasping at his touch, but I couldn't control my now accelerated heart rate. I could see Jacob's eyes widen and hear his breath hitch. On a normal day, I would be amused by the sight, but this really isn't a normal day, the mere sight of him does nothing but quicken my already rapid heart rate. His face softens and a small smile slowly stretches across his face. I don't know how something as small as a smile could piss me off, but something about Jacob's smile infuriates me.

"I have a date with a leech," I growl, shoving his arm off me and stomping toward the mansion.

"Which one?" Jacob asks, trailing behind me with a frustrated face.

"Carter," I snap, quickening my pace.

"Who?" he snarls, although I know he heard me clearly. He tried to catch up to me, but I saw Seth pull him back saying, "Come on, man. She wasn't being serious. Relax"

"All the more reason to hate him," I hear Jacob growl angrily. I don't think I was meant to hear that.

I'm smirking on the outside, to show my victory. But I'm screaming on the inside, frowning deeply. Carter isn't the person I want to spend time with right now. Jacob is. I don't want a leech giving me insights. The only reason I can even stand to be near Carter is because of his stupid powers. He doesn't smell bad like the others. He can hide his scent. But that doesn't change the fact that he's a leech. Even if he is here to protect me, I still don't give a damn. I don't want him or anyone else. Just Jacob.

_Always wanting what you can't have_. Yeah, story of my life.

"You don't look too happy." Speak of the devil.

I looked up to see Carter grinning widely at me with dripping wet hair. He didn't smell bad, obviously because of his power. He didn't give off a scent. But there was something there. It smelled. . . salty. . . like the ocean. Like La Pushs' beach. I've been around that beach my entire life. First Beach. I would recognize that smell anywhere.

"The fuck happened to you?" I questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"I went for a swim," he shrugged, quickly trying to change the subject. "You have a new pack member?"

"Yup, Embry." I scanned the perimeter of any signs of the idiot, but I didn't see him anywhere. I also noticed Jacob and Seth weren't behind me anymore either.

"Where is he?" Carter asked, looking puzzled.

"Hell if I know," I shrugged, walking past him. "Did you go swimming at the beach?"

"Yes. Why?" he asked, jaw clenching.

"You smell like La Push."

"Yeah, I went for a swim," he said in a hushed tone. "Your friend is coming."

I gave him a questioning look but lifted my gaze towards the tall, nearing figure.

"Hey Leah," Embry greeted, narrowing his eyes at Carter.

"Where the hell did you go?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Around." Embry's eyes were still locked on Carter, his body tense.

"I can sense when I'm not invited. See you around, Leah," Carter said, walking back into the mansion.

"Embry -"

"Leah, come with me," Embry said in an urgent voice. He grabbed my arm and dragged me into the forest. Normally, I would have bitched at him if he cut me off like he just did, or knee him in the balls for trying to drag me somewhere. But today is just _not_ a normal day, so I let him drag me without a complaint. Doesn't mean I'm not pissed.

"Now will you tell me why the fuck you dragged me out here?" I said through gritted teeth, as we reached the entrance of the forest.

"Something's not right about him, Leah. The leech. . . he's-there's something wrong about him," Embry looked frustrated, his brows were pulled so tightly together, it almost looked as if he had a uni-brow.

"Well duh, Call, he's a leech. Of course there's something wrong about him. He slurps blood."

"That's not what I mean. I don't get the same suspicious feeling when I'm around the Cullens that I do with _him._"

"Embry, what the hell are you talking about?"

"He's hiding something," he said sternly.

"How can you tell?"

"How can you _not _tell? Don't tell me you didn't smell the ocean on him. The ocean that _we _grew up swimming in. The ocean that is in _La Push _territory." His voice had gotten lower, and more wary.

"Yeah, I could smell the ocean on him. He said he went swimming."

"See? We could both smell the ocean on him, but not the sickly sweet scent leeches give off."

"So?" This is starting to irritate me. Embry isn't making any sense. Carter is here now, he's no longer an ally of Jayden.

"Fine. Since none of this is making any sense to you, I'll make you a deal. If we go into the bloodsuckers house and he doesn't smell of the ocean anymore, you have to do something for me. If he does smell of the ocean, I'll do something for you, anything you want. Deal?"

"How's this gonna prove anything?" I asked skeptically, although his offer does sound tempting. Embry doing whatever I want is a brilliant offer.

"Deal?" he pushed, ignoring my question.

"Fine, deal. But just so you know, I can get you to do whatever I want anyways, I'm beta," I laughed, willingly letting my ego get the best of me.

"Yeah, we'll see, Clearwater," he grinned, tossing an arm around my shoulders.

* * *

"Where's Carter?" I asked the mother-leech, Esme.

"He's upstairs, would you like to speak with him?" she asked politely.

_No, I'm just here asking about him for no reason at all. _"Yeah, I do."

"Well, I'm sure he heard you so he should be down soon."

"Thanks," I nodded.

"You're welcome," she said. "Would you two like anything to eat?"

I'm sure Embry's eyes were bugging out of its sockets as much as mine were. Did she really just ask us if we wanted anything to eat? She can't be serious. Was she trying to feed us carcasses? The left over animals her family drained their blood of? No thank you.

"No, she can cook. From what Seth says, she's very good at it," Edward laughed, as he descended down the stairs.

_Tell her we aren't hungry. Just because Seth will eat anything in sight doesn't mean Embry and I will._

"They aren't hungry, Esme," Edward said, smiling at his "mother" politely.

"Are you guys sure?" she asked.

_Hell yeah, we're sure. There's no way we're eating anything from a bloodsucker. _"Uh huh," I nod.

"Okay, well if you change your minds, just call me," she smiled. I nodded, not really wanting to feel guilty, especially for a leech. There's something about this one and her husband that seem so _human. _I can't even threaten them without feeling guilty. I swear they're like Mr. and Mrs. Buddah.

"Leah," Carter greeted, smiling as he entered the room. I felt Embry shift and tense at the sight of him.

_Edward, stay here. I, uh-I mean _we _need your help with something. Just stay here leech, you'll find out what we're doing sooner or later._

Edward rolled his eyes but gave a slight nod nonetheless. He looked between Embry, Carter, and I with confused looks.

_You've been past the beach on the Rez before, right? _Edward nodded. Okay. Good. This makes mine and Embry's job much more easier.

"What's up?" Carter asked, smirking at Embry's tensed stance.

_Does he hide his scent from your family like he does with us? _Another nod. Fuck. That's Embry: 1, Leah: 0.

"I was just wondering if anyone from the other pack spotted you today," I said, trying to sound casual.

Now it was Carter's turn to tense. I noticed he didn't smell like anything at all anymore. No trace of the La Push scent on him. Edward, on the other hand, looked confused. His brows were pulled together and his jaw was clenched.

"Did you take a shower?" I asked, curious as to why he no longer smelled of the sea.

"You were in La Push?" Edward asked Carter in an almost stern voice.

"Yeah, I went for a swim, and no Leah, I didn't."

I suppose the leech could have hid the scent of the sea because he no longer smelled of it. The only other option really would be to take a shower, but he just said he hadn't, so. . . .

"Why didn't you tell any of us you were going to La Push?"

"I didn't think I needed your permission," Carter snorted, folding his arms.

"You realize we have a treaty with them, right? I thought you knew that."

"I do. But I wasn't spotted or anything. I made sure the wolves couldn't see me or catch my scent. Even if they did catch me, it would be on me, not your family."

"But you're living with us," Edward said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"The Quileutes made a treaty with the Cullens, not me."

"I understand that, but you're living with us, and as long as you do, you will respect my family's rules. One of those rules being not going over the border unless given permission."

Edward shook his head slightly, his mouth forming into a thin, tight, line. I looked at him in confusion. I wasn't even addressing him, what the hell is he shaking his head?

"Alright, I get it. I won't do it again," Carter snapped, sounding like a little kid being scolded.

Another nod from Edward.

_Damnit, why the hell are you nodding? You're distracting me! Stop fucking around, bloodsucker, we need some damn answers._

Edward only smirked at my tirade, and politely put his attention back on Carter. "Thank you, we appreciate it."

"Is that all you needed?" Carter asked me, a look of aggravation upon his face. I smirked.

"Yeah, we just needed to know if the other pack caught a glimpse of you, but since they didn't, we're good," Embry said, answering for me and narrowing his eyes at Carter.

_What is he hiding? _I wanted a vocal answer from Edward to really put Carter on the spot, I _expected_ an answer. What I didn't expect was a shrug.

_He's hiding his thoughts, isn't he? Fucking leech. _Nod. Well, if the bloodsucker is hiding his thoughts from the mind rapist, then he _must _be hiding something. That's Embry: 2, Leah: 0.

"Okay, well thanks for the cooperation, but we really gotta go," Embry said in a dismissive tone.

"You're leaving?" Carter asked. The question was directed at me more so than Embry.

Embry was already heading towards the door with me in a tow. I tried hitting him, doing anything to get him to let go of me, but the retard's grip only tightened. He looked back at Carter, still moving towards the door, and answered for me: "Yup, We got our answers, thanks."

"What the _fuck _are you doing, you shithead?" I growled, snatching my hand away as he loosened his grip.

"Claiming my victory," he grinned, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking away.

"What victory? We got answers from Carter that proved _nothing_."

"Really, Leah? Because if I remember clearly, which I do, our deal was to see if Carter still smelled of the Ocean or not." He was smirking now, and his eyes were lit up in amusement.

I narrowed my eyes and he laughed. "I told you! I win, Lee, you gotta do something for me!"

"What?" I snarled. God, I hate losing! But I'm a woman of my word.

"Really? You're actually gonna do something for me? Just like that?" he asked, surprised.

"Just spit it out, Call!" I was close to phasing. I wanted to wipe that stupid grin off his face and I still haven't forgotten to kick his ass. I'm just waiting for the right moment.

"Just take it easy on Jake, yeah?" he said quietly with a small smile.

When I didn't answer, he continued.

"He's going through a rough time right now. . . don't be so hard on him -"

"Oh, _I'm _be hard on him? Embry, if you treasure your balls and plan on having children in the future, I suggest you start running," I threatened, in a dangerously low voice.

"C'mon, hear me out for a minute! Jake and I have been best friends since we were in diapers, I know him like the back of my hand. If there's one thing I'm sure of, its that Jake still has feelings for you -"

"Embry, shut up!" I snarled. "Please, just shut up and phase, we have to patrol."

"Leah -"

"EMBRY! Shut. The. Fuck. Up." He exhaled sharply and stripped as I went behind a couple of bushes to phase.

It didn't take long for the familiar tingling sensation to run up my spine and shift my body. I felt relieved, in a way, to be phased, minus sharing a mind with Embry. I didn't notice how badly I needed to stretch my legs and go for a run. I eagerly sprinted south as Embry took off north. It was silent, neither of us wanting to say anything. It was a comfortable silence, though. We stayed quiet for two hours, just one more hour to go and we'd be done and handing the next shift to Seth and Jacob. I was enjoying the peace and quiet.

Embry, however, couldn't keep quiet for another hour and decided to speak.

_Leah. . ._

_Goddamnit, Embry! What? _I internally groaned. So much for my peace and quiet.

_Just wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have come at you like that._

_Damn straight! _I huffed, replaying the memory in my head through my point of view. He had to know that this break up was affecting me more so than Jacob. _I _was the one that got ditched. Again.

_I know. I'm sorry. Truce?_

_Grow a pair, Embry. Who says that anymore? _I snorted.

_I do, Leah. And I'll have you know, my boys are fully grown, thank you very much. _

I could feel him grinning, his tongue lolling out to the side. I rolled my eyes, grinning at the spitting image of a wolf rolling its large eyes.

_Whatever helps you sleep at night, freak._

_So are we cool now? _he asked in a hopeful voice.

_If I say yes, will you stop bothering me? _

_Yup._

_Then yes, we're cool. _

_Okay, sweet. _

I scoffed, but it probably sounded like I was choking or something.

_Hey Leah?_

_I thought you said you wouldn't bother me, dipshit!_

_You didn't really think I'd stop talking to you, did you? C'mon, it's important!_

No, actually I knew all too well Embry would have spoken to me sooner or later. But there was that little ray of hope shining through to me, wishing he'd actually stick to his word.

_What? _I growled.

_Well I figured Edward knows the scent of La Push and First Beach since he's been there before, so I asked him if Carter smelled anything of La Push or it's surroundings._

_And?_

_He shook his head. _

Oh. Well that would explain why the Edtard was shaking his head for no reason earlier today.

_So? What does that tell us? _I asked.

_Carter hadn't realized that he smelled of the sea until you pointed it out to him. When I came, he left and went back into the mansion. Since he didn't take a shower, I'm assuming he made it so none of the Cullens could detect the scent. _

Huh. _I was wondering why he didn't smell of First Beach anymore. . ._

_You see? My guess is that he was concentrating so hard on not smelling like a vampire that he hadn't even thought about La Push's scent._

_That makes sense. But if he hides his scent for our sake, why does he hide it from the Cullens too? _

_What are you talking about_? Embry asked, confused.

Oh. Right. Embry doesn't know that I was questioning the mind-rapist as well. I showed him the memory of the four of us in the Cullen mansion. I let him hear the questions I was asking Edward through my head. I could feel his eyes widening in shock and hear a low growl from his chest.

_Leah, the leech is definitely hiding something! He has something planned! _he was turning around, running fast in my direction. He was miles away, but he'd reach me in less than ten minutes.

_I think. . . I think you're right. . ._

_Of course I'm right. What vampire hides their scent from other vampires unless they don't wanna be"identified" with the others? If he's planning something, and he has no scent to identify him -_

_We won't be able to track him. _I finished for him, gasping at the sudden revelation.

_Exactly. Remember when Victoria came down with the newborns and we allied with the Cullens? _

_Yes. Why?_

_Remember how we each were able to identify each of the Cullens by their scent? I know it killed our noses to sniff each of them, but it came in handy when we were fighting the newborns. Carter's playing smart. The Cullens are so used to their own vampire-goodness that the thought of Carter's non-existent scent didn't even cross their minds. Hell, even Dr. Sparkles didn't even notice._

I stood there, shocked. Everything Embry was saying was making more and more sense. Since neither one of the packs or the leeches have ever caught a whiff of Carter's scent, tracking him would be next to impossible. I'd rather have my nose burn for hours and know his scent, than be clueless.

_You know what's weird? Edward looked extremely shocked today. You'd think with him being a mind-reader, he'd know everything and inform us of this kinda stuff. _Embry was shaking his head in mock disappointment.

_You forget that Carter and Jayden have been studying us, including the bloodsuckers, for a while now. Carter must have been hiding his thoughts very well. _I said in disgust.

_Right. How I ever forgot about that, I'll never know. Hey, I see you._

I could see him too, his dark grey-ish figure approaching my light-grey one. He nudged my shoulder and lolled his tongue out in a wolfy grin.

_Lets head back. I needa catch up on some sleep._

_Yes, beta._ He laughed, except it sounded more like a struggling chain-smoker coughing his lungs out.

_Keep that up and you won't live to see tomorrow, _I growled, narrowing my eyes at him.

_Sure, sure. Wanna race? _he asked, knowing I wouldn't be able to turn down a race.

_Absolutely, _I barked, sprinting away.

_Hey, that's cheating! _he whined, trying his hardest to catch up to me.

_You would've lost either way, loser, _I laughed, speeding away with my own wolfy grin.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :) I put quite a lot of effort into this baby. I needed some spark, something to make my story more interesting. Oh! And I just wanted to let you know that it's been a full year that " H" has been in the works! I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for sticking with me and my story all this time. Like I said, this is my first ever fan fiction, and I was a little apprehensive as to whether or not I'd continue writing this story, but you guys kept me going, and for that, I would just like to thank you all.

Please review and tell me what you think of the chapter :) Thanks again, everyone!


	23. The Blind Truth

**Chapter 23: The blind truth**

**LPOV**

"For the last time, will you idiots _please _sit down and phase back? You're making me dizzy." I scowled at the three wolves pacing back and forth, not even acknowledging that I had even spoken. Scowling, I picked up three rocks and aimed them at each of their heads. Each hit made a satisfying _'thunk' _sound, and I finally got their attention. I better act fast though, these three have an attention span of a walnut, well actually Embry isn't too bad. . . he's smarter, I'll give him that.

The three of them growled in unison, which I found hilarious.

"Phase back." With a sharp huff, the three of them went behind the bushes to phase back.

After mine and Embry's little guess-and-check Carter fiasco, we informed Seth and Jacob of our revelation. To mine and Embry's surprise, Jacob shredded his clothes and ran for the leech manor, probably wanting to tear Carter limb from limb. Embry and Seth were quick enough to drag him back to the forest and talk some sense into him. Uneasy as we are about Carter, we can't let our moron of an alpha attack him for several reasons: one, Embry and I aren't exactly sure our theory is one-hundred percent correct, two, how the hell is Jacob going to explain himself when he busts in bloodsuckerville with murderous on the mind, and three, how would Embry, Seth, and I explain to Sam that our stupid ass alpha walked right into a deathtrap and came out with missing limbs? Really. When Embry and I caught up to Jacob and Seth, our explanation of our theory was easy enough to explain. Jacob seemed to believe every word we told him, well Embry mostly spoke, I didn't want to have to explain anything to Jacob, seeing as how we aren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment. Seth, on the other hand, was skeptical. "You guys could be wrong," was what he said. I should have expected that sort of response from my baby brother, him being naive and all. I mean, since he's best friends and basically part of the goddamn Cullen coven, it was hard for him to accept that a "friend" of the Cullens could possibly be bad. Ha, I wouldn't be surprised if they added him onto their stupid 'Cullen Crest.' "Who could deceive the Cullens?" was what he asked. See? The boy really is brain-dead. It's a good thing dad always told me to look after him and not the other way around, otherwise I'd be in the mansion choking from lack of fresh air. I'm so glad I was the first one to pop out of mom's -

Okay, I will _definitely _not finish that thought. Jesus, I'm _disgusting!_

"What, Leah?" Embry asked, walking out of the bushes rubbing the side of his head where my rock had hit him. I smirked.

"Good, you phased."

"Only because you decided attack us with rocks," Seth mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. Huh, I thought I hit them all on the side of the head. Guess not.

"Yeah, well I had to get your attention somehow," I shrugged, not at all sorry.

Throwing rocks at my pack has been the most fun I've had so far, which is pretty sad considering I'm a 19-year old female. Aren't girls suppose to have the time of their lives once they're 18 and up? That's certainly not the case with me. No sirree, fate decided they wanted to throw me in with seven perverted, idiotic, cocky, arrogant, loud, teenagers. Thanks fate, much appreciated.

"Did you have to throw rocks, though? Couldn't you have considered throwing _pebbles _instead?" Jacob grumbled, taking a seat next to Embry and facing me with an annoyed look. He had a red mark right in the middle of his forehead, the sight of it made me want to piss myself with laughter. What's even funnier is that I know it hurts, Jacob's just trying to play it off and pretend there isn't a stinging in the middle of his forehead right this moment. It's fine though, that red mark is all I need to feel satisfaction that I got him pretty good in the noggin.

My eyes wandered to the rocks I had thrown at them and shrugged. They were pretty big, all three rocks were about the size of my hand,

"You wouldn't have felt it."

"Well since we're phased and injured, why don't you tell us what it is you find so important that we had to phase back," Embry said, eyeing me curiously.

"I think we should at least _act _normal around the leech, Carter, I mean. Let's not make it seem like we know something."

"Well we _don't _know anything for sure except that he went swimming back on the Rez, so we really can't accuse him of anything," Seth said.

"Okay, Seth. Sure," I smiled. "Now, can I get an interjection from someone who _isn't _a kiss-ass to the parasites?"

I received the bird in response from Seth for my remark, and a snort and a chuckle from Embry and Jacob.

"I agree. . . with Leah," Jacob sighed, plucking at random blades of grass.

I looked at him in shock, my mouth parting a little. That was unexpected, I didn't think the thick-head would speak, let alone _agree_ with me.

"Yeah," Embry said, looking between Jacob and I. "Same here. We'll just play it out, see what happens."

"So are we done here?" Seth asked, getting to his feet.

"I guess," I shrugged.

"Wait! Seth, do you have an extra pair of shorts?" Embry asked.

"What's wrong with the ones you have on?" Seth asked.

"I - uh, only brought these. I'm gonna have to change them soon," Embry said sheepishly.

"Yeah," Seth shrugged. "C'mon, I'll show you where I keep my clothes."

I watched them leave, and got to my feet, not wanting to be alone with Jacob.

"Wait, Leah," Jacob said, finally looking up from the grass to look into my eyes.

My eyes locked with his and I saw, for the first time in what felt like years, the many hidden emotions in his eyes. This is _exactly _why I have been trying so incredibly hard to not look into Jacob Black's eyes. I knew I would get lost in them like I am now. I knew I wouldn't be able to resist listening to what he has to say. Instead of walking away like I had intended to, I very slowly, sat back down, never taking my eyes off of him.

"What?"

"Leah. . . " he sighed, running a hand through his hair. _Shoot! _He only did that when he was nervous, when he had to get something important off his chest!

My breathing hitched and I was very aware of his well-defined torso. I pried my eyes away from his scrumptious-looking body, back to his eyes that were calling out for me.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, scooting closer to me. "Leah, I'm so, _so_, sorry."

His eyes were pleading, and his voice was so sincere, it would be a crime for anyone to not forgive him.

"You started it," I said, bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around my knees.

It's true, he did. He started _everything. _He wanted to get with me. He asked me out. He ditched me for Bella 'I-wanna-be-an-overgrown-mosquito' Cullen. He broke away from Sam's pack. And HE started all of our arguments.

I felt like jelly, I had to hold myself together somehow. I would've collapsed if I were still standing up. I wanted to scream and yell at him, I wanted to hit him, make him bleed, hurt him like he hurt me, but I couldn't. . . I _can't. _I felt weak and pathetic, two things Leah Clearwater isn't.

"That's what we _do. _Leah we fight all the time and then make up," he said, scooting even closer to me. "_Please, _Leah. This is me trying to make it up to you."

"You're an asshole," I whispered, afraid that if I spoke louder, my voice would crack. I was mentally kicking myself for sounding and looking so vulnerable. One side of me was telling me to put on my big-girl panties and talk to him like a mature person, and the other side of me was screaming at me to hit him or do _something _other than sit there like an idiot.

"I know, and I'm _sorry,_" he said. "Lee-Leah, c'mon, look me in the eyes. I - I miss you."

His voice cracked at the end, making my already broken heart shatter into a million more pieces.

"How do you. . . expect me to believe you, Jake? You chose her. Again."

I was trying to muster up all my courage to sound strong and convincing. I will not be let Jacob Black toy with my emotions. Thank God Embry and Seth left. If Seth saw me like this, vulnerable and _fragile_, he'd freak. Literally. I hate that Seth has to suffer watching _me _be depressing and angry. It's not fun having a sadistic sister like me. I saw how Seth's face lit up every time he saw me, while I was dating Jacob. We actually talked and _laughed _together like we used to. Now, Jake and I aren't together anymore, and I see the hurt and anger on Seth's face. I hate watching my little brother squirm every time I'm put in an uncomfortable situation. The guilt eats at me inside and out. I can't do that to my baby brother any longer, which is why I have to stay strong. I can't fall and let my emotions get the best of me, even if they are right now. And Embry. . . I've known him my whole life, I've known everyone in the pack my whole life. Embry though, I know he won't mock me or laugh or harass me with a billion questions like he most likely would with Jacob. He respects me and I can't appreciate him enough for that. He's very understanding, which is one of the reasons I tolerate him. He isn't the kind of person to force something upon someone. But I know for a fact that if he saw me like this, he'd want to take the initiative and get in the middle of this Jacob-Leah situation. He'd want to get to the bottom of it. Hell, he's already asked me to take it easy on Jacob. I can't let Embry get in the middle of this. This isn't his nor Seth's problem, they don't need to stress their selves over this.

I hadn't noticed I was staring intently at the grass until Jacob lifted my chin so I could meet his gaze. He was sitting directly in front of me now, criss-crossed. How did he get so close, so fast? How did I not notice him move so close to me?

I wasn't really trying to find the answers to my own questions because I was too busy marveling how incredibly warm and comforting his touch was. His eyes were begging me to forgive him and his lips. . . God, his lips! They looked so _inviting. _I was tempted to lean in and crash my lips onto his, to feel our mouths moving in perfect synchronization like they're supposed to. I want to relax in his strong arms, the arms I've fallen asleep in so easily and comfortably before. Even now, broken up, I could feel the liquid fire shoot through my veins at his touch. It's almost as if my body was _calling _for his touch. I wanted to be even closer to him, I wanted to feel the heat emanating off his skin. I -

"Leah, she's my best _friend_. Of course I'm going to be worried about her. I'm not choosing her over you," he said softly, now cupping my face with both of his hands.

"Whaa?" I was breathless. I was letting his words sink in, shocking me to the very core. I didn't know whether to feel delighted or skeptical. I'm happy, no doubt, but he could just be saying that. I could feel my heart quicken erratically, pumping jovially, but my brain was screaming at me to think everything through, to wait it out to see if he really means what he's saying.

"Leah," he said firmly. "I _still _want to be with you. I can't - I can't get over you, Leah. I don't think I ever will. . . just, put yourself in my position."

"I never would have fallen for ___Bella_," I spat, lacing _her _name with venom. I could feel the anger rising in me now, the courage I've been waiting to reveal itself. I still felt, vunerable, per se, but not _weak. _

"I didn't mean it like that," he said, releasing his hands from my face and running them through his short hair.

Once his hands left my face, I instantly felt cold. I felt myself leaning toward him but quickly rocked myself back. Shape-shifters don't get cold, yet his touch left me. . . I don't know, but I swear I _shivered _when his hands left contact with my skin. All I wanted was for him to touch me again, so I could get that warm, fuzzy, feeling of safety and happiness. I snapped myself out of my dazed thoughts, scolding myself to not be so brainless the next time he removed his hands from me.

"Then what are you trying to say?"

"If Emily was pregnant with something. . . _unheard of, _something that was _killing_ her, wouldn't you want to be by her side to protect her? Or Seth, Leah, what if something was eating him from the inside-out, I know you wouldn't think twice about standing by his side."

I should be beyond furious that he mentioned Emily. I resent her for taking the once love of my life. I _should _be cursing up a storm, socking him in the jaw, kicking him in his sacred marbles, _anything _physically harmful. But I'm not. Because As much as I would like to claw the other half of Emily's face, I _would _be sitting by her side if something was killing her. She's still family. As long as I want to see her suffer as much pain as I have, I wouldn't wish death upon her. Never. I'm not a heartless bitch. And Seth, my baby brother, my broski, my Sethy-poo. . . I would be the one suffering _for _him, no doubt. He'd try to lighten the mood, look on the bright side, while I would be bawling my eyes out, screaming at the doctors to do something to keep him alive. So yes, he does have a point, except he's missing one little thing. A minuscule thing that differentiates the scenarios. Emily and Seth are my family, of course I would sit there and show my support. _Isabella _on the other hand, _isn't _Jacob's family. She's the girl he never got. He _loved _her. Not in a family sort of way, but romantically. You see my point, right? He cannot just compare Bella _Cullen _to my family.

"I was never, nor will I _ever_, be in love with Seth or Emily, like you are with Bella," I seethed, folding my arms defiantly.

"I know, Lee, I know. Just-," he took my face in his hands again and caressed my cheeks with his thumbs. "-you gotta believe me. I'm over her, but she's my best friend, I can't just ignore the fact that she's dying. I'm begging you, Leah, she doesn't have the same affect on me like you do. Please, babe, er, uh - Leah."

I was on cloud nine. I don't need drugs or alcohol to feel light and airy, free and dazed. Jacob touching me is literally my personal high. I couldn't help my heart beating frantically at his words. He had called me "babe." I always loved it when he called me that, he said it so affectionately. It always slipped from his lips with so much warmth and compassion. I know it sounds dumb, considering how small and simple of a word it is, but that's why I loved hearing it so much. Because he doesn't have to think of a nickname that describes me, he lets "babe" roll off his lips with ease. He didn't make everything difficult, he made it simple. Instead of rambling on, I'll get to my point. He called me babe without realizing it, and quickly said my name. And the way he's caressing my cheeks! God, I could die right here right now, grinning like a fool. Except I'm not grinning. My face is contorted between a smile and a frown. A _smrown. _Yes, I know. I'm a genius, huh?

I wanted to say something smart, something Leah-like, but I couldn't. I could barely make out a sentence that made sense in my head. I had to say _something _back to him.

"Prove it." I was surprised by my firm tone. A tone that told someone that I was not bull-shitting. Although I had a hard time trying to make up a response, those two little words did the job. I was pretty satisfied, I didn't have to waste my breath on something incoherent and dumb. Just short and challenging. Just the way I like it. If he's up for the challenge, I'll let him prove it to me. It's all up to him.

I was suddenly engulfed in his strong embracing arms, making me want to melt. I was too shocked at first to move, but I eventually relaxed and returned the hug_. _Forget about what I said about enjoying his hands on my face. _This _is the kind of touch that leaves me breathless. The kind of touch that makes me crave his presence. The kind of touch that makes the fire inside me blaze like inferno. _This _is perfection. I fit perfectly in his arms. I'm not small and fragile like Bellatard, nor am I huge and manly. I'm just. . . I'm right for him. I'm silently begging that he feels the same way, that he too notices how perfectly our bodies mold together. If I'm feeling an incredible fire inside with jolts of electricity shooting through every vein in my body, then he _has _to feel it too. How can he not?

"Leah. . . " he breathed huskily in my ear, his lips brushing against my earlobe. "I l -"

"LEAH!" Oh, for the love of-SETH! I swear, my little brother is the _biggest _cock-block of the century! I'm going to be single for the rest of my goddamn life if he keeps popping out of nowhere like this.

I jumped out of Jacob's embrace and stood up glaring at the nearing figures of an annoyed-looking Seth and a sheepish-looking Embry. Jacob and I stood, side-by-side, neither of us bothering to take a step away from one another. Our shoulders brushed against each other making me shiver from head to toe.

"This isn't over, I wasn't done yet," Jacob whispered, low enough for my ears and my ears only. I nodded.

I didn't know whether to be scared or happy. What was Jacob going to say? It started with an 'L'. Was he going to tell me that he lo - I'm not even going to finish that thought. Maybe he was going to tell me that he liked me a lot, still. . . yeah. That makes more sense. 'I like you' sounds more reasonable. Right? _Right? _Yeah, I'm just going to agree with myself. There's a nagging in the back of my head that I'm choosing to ignore and a dull ache in my heart that I really don't understand. I want to be in his arms again. It's strangely addicting. If I was in oblivion being in his arms, imagine if our bodies were moving in sync as one - NO! Bad Leah! I will _not _have these thoughts.

* * *

**SPOV**

"You don't really need an extra pair of shorts, do you?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow at an amused-looking Embry Call.

"Nah, those two just need to talk," he shrugged.

"I know what you're trying to do, Embry."

"What?" he asked, faking innocence.

"Do I look dumb to you - don't answer that."

"Relax, kid," he laughed, putting his hands up in defense. "They just need to work some things out. Neither of them look very happy right now, maybe talking will ease the tension."

It's not that I don't want my sister to be happy, because really, her happiness is all I really want from her. _But _I have a feeling that Embry isn't just trying to "ease the tension" in our pack. I have a feeling that what he's trying to do is get Leah and Jake to start dating again. I'm not going to deny the cold, hard, facts that yes, Embry is _very _right, but I have different issues. Embry might want Leah and Jake to start dating again because it will make everyone smile and make the tension within our pack vanish. The thing is, Embry Call isn't Leah Clearwater's biological brother, _I am. _He may be a "pack brother" but he is in no way related by blood to Leah. No one in the pack is except for me. So it only makes sense that I'm opposed to his idea, right? Of course I'm aware that Leah and Jake both want to be together again, but they're both too stubborn and _afraid _to say something to one another. Of course I've seen the longing in both of their eyes. The way I see it, Leah and Jake broke up, and they're going to _stay _broken up. I already gave Jake a chance with her, and he messed up. I honestly, in fact, we _all _thought he was over Bella. Apparently not. I _still _can't shake the image of Leah's shocked and pained expression when Jake snapped at her. Yeah, the pack might have overreacted and left the hospital a little dramatically, but he basically _played _us. We've all had our fair share of snapping at Leah only to have her kick our asses, but the way Jake snapped at her was filled with so much anger, disdain, and hurt. _That's _what set us all off edge; that he was still willing to hurt _us _because of Bella. I don't hate Bella, she's cool and all and really nice to me, but sometimes I wish she would just back off. It really isn't my fault if I think differently of Embry's idea, even if deep down I know it's what needs to be done.

"They don't need to work _anything _out," I snap.

"Just phase, will you? It's done. We're here, and they're talking. Just phase," he sighed.

We stripped ourselves of our clothing and let the wolf within us take charge. The familiar heat flew up my spine and my eyes closed as my bones expanded and I was on all fours.

_Why do you close your eyes when you phase_? Embry asked, cocking his head to the side.

_I don't like seeing my bones stretch, it looks weird._

_I guess_, he laughed, mentally shrugging.

_Are we actually gonna patrol? _

_No way, Leah and I just patrolled. You wanna just walk the perimeter?_

_Yeah, sure._

The walk around the perimeter was strangely. . . nice. Embry and I weren't talking much, just thinking to ourselves. Embry was thinking about the possible feuding between Jake and Sam's packs, and how Quil will manage to leave Sam's pack. Sam, no doubt, has already noticed he was missing yet _another _pack member. Adding onto the fact that the one who had just fled happens to be the other alpha's best friend. Sam knows that it will only be a short while until the _other _best friend ditches his pack for the renegades. I can understand Embry's fear and wariness of Quil joining our pack. Sure, it'd be great to see him run the perimeter with us, but honestly, he was safer with Sam. Embry knows that Sam will do _anything _to make Quil stay within his reach. Sam can order Quil to stay in his pack, which makes Embry both relieved but furious. Embry quickly cancels that thought out when another thought appears in his head. A thought that actually makes the _both _of us growl. If Sam doesn't use the alpha voice on Quil, there's no doubt that the guy will use Claire-bear as his bait. Sam knows more than anyone that wolves can't deny their imprint. You know, breaking Leah's heart and all, I'm sure the guy has _some _sort of idea about the attachment of an imprinter and an imprintee. Sam threatening to keep Claire-bear away from Quil is the only way Quil will stay in his pack. Like Embry, I'm both relieved and angry. It's infuriating to know how incredibly predictable our ex-alpha is, but relieving because it _is _safer for Quil to stay. The four of us, Leah, Embry, Jake, and I, we have no chains holding us down. None of us have imprinted, we're _free, _in a way, whereas Quil is tied down by a 3-year old girl. A 3-year old girl that happens to be Sam's fiance's _niece. _

I shake my head in attempt to clear my head of Embry's thoughts. It doesn't work. His thoughts are too real, too vivid.

_You okay? _he asks, looking at me from the corner of his eye.

_Yeah, I'm fine._

_You know I can tell you're lying, right? _he says, chuckling, but sounding like rough coughs instead.

_I'm _fine, _Embry._

_Sure, sure._

I don't know why I'm suddenly angry at his response. Maybe because it's a term Jake always chooses to say. Maybe because Embry is one of Jake's _very _best friends, and since I can't really be mad at my alpha, it's easier to turn my anger out on his friend. So instead of thinking about a logical, sarcastic response, I can't help but mentally slap myself a few times when I blurt out the words I knew would spark a conversation I _didn't _want to talk about: _Why do you want Jake to get with my sister so damn bad?_

_Huh?_

_You heard me._

_Listen kid, I know it's probably extremely awkward for you to see the "rightness" in their relationship because you're Leah's brother-_

_Just get to the point, Embry, _I snap, growling.

_I don't have to explain myself or what I'm trying to say to you, Seth. All you have to do is look at them and you'll see what I mean._

Look _at them? Embry, what the hell are you talking about? _

The frustration of _not _understanding what Embry was trying to say was eating at me. I was getting irritated, and that's something I normally don't feel. I'm usually a happy guy, always smiling and joking around with people. I have the decency to acknowledge that I_ am_ Leah's brother, which is _probably _why I don't understand what Embry is saying. Or, since I am Leah's brother, maybe I _shouldn't _want to comprehend what he's trying to explain to me.

_Too late, kid. _

- _FLASHBACK(s) -_

I was in Embry's mind watching a scene between Embry, Jake, and Leah play out.

_Jake has a smirk on his face, and Leah looks. . . tired? Yeah, tired but annoyed. Embry took a few steps back while Jake told Leah about Sam ordering her to attend the barbecue. Jake's eyes light up in amusement as Leah's darkens with fury. I can sense the confusion from Embry about his best friend's interaction with the she-wolf, and then the scene fades out._

_A new scene emerges and it's of Jacob and Embry walking alone in the forest._

_"Dude, why were you acting all weird with Leah?" Embry asks Jacob. _

_"What are you talking about, man?" Jacob asks, stupidly. _

Although he's playing dumb, I can see the confusion and longing in Jacob's eyes.

_"I'm not an idiot dude, I saw the look you were giving her. You got a thing for Leah," Embry says._

_"No, Call. I don't." As Jacob says this, his brows are pulled tightly together, forming creases on his forehead. His jaw is clenched and I'm also aware of the clenching and unclenching of his fists._

_With narrowed eyes, Embry replies in a cool tone, "keep telling yourself that, man."_

As this scene fades out, I'm hit with more distant scenes. I'm shown of scenes where Jacob is holding Leah, both with smiles on their faces. I'm not shocked, I knew Jake and Leah were happy together. Anyone could have been blinded by the brightness of their smiles when they were around each other. No matter how fucking awkward it was, even I had to admit they were happy.

The many passing scenes fade in and out and I'm shown scenes of Jacob and Leah laughing and smiling.

The sound of her laughter caused by Jacob both brings music to my ears but breaks my heart. I haven't heard her laugh like that ever since the break up. Hell, I haven't even seen her give a genuine smile ever since that fateful day.

The whirring scenes were beginning to make me dizzy, all of them speeding in and out of my head like lightning until Embry stops dead at one particular scene. I recognize this scene. I recognize it so well because the room had been filled with so much tension it's crazy how any of us were able to breathe through the intense looks between Leah and Jacob. It was the day _after _the break up and we were all scattered around in Sam's house for a pack meeting.

_"I'm sorry," Jacob mouths at Leah. _

As I'm looking between the two, I realize that they're both wearing identical looks of pain and heartbreak. They're both holding back tears, I can tell.

_Leah, very slowly, pulls her heartbroken gaze away from Jacob._

_"Leah?" Sam calls, in an irritated tone._

_"What?" she snap, mimicking his tone._

_"Can you repeat what I had just said?" he asks, crossing his arms. _

_"You want me, Jared, Embry, and Paul to patrol at midnight tomorrow," she says, giving him an innocent smile._

_"Oh, okay, I guess you were listening," he says, dumbly. "I guess we're done here, c'mon boys. There's food in the fridge for the rest of you if you want, help yourself. And don't make noise, Emily's asleep."_

_"Well, time to go," Leah says in a sing-song voice._

I see myself exit the room along with Sam and Quil. This is new. I haven't seen _this _yet. I watch as Leah gets to her feet, trying with all her might, to ignore Jacob's penetrating stare.

_"Wait," Jared says grabbing her arm, "where are you going? Sam says we have to stay here until tomorrow."_

_"What?" she growls._

_"It was an order. Sam, Jake, Quil, and Seth are patrolling tonight. The rest of us are here 'till morning."_

_"Motherfucker," she hisses._

_She sits back down and lies her head back roughly and shuts her eyes. Jared nudges her side and calls her name._

_"What?"_

_"Jake wants to talk to you," he says._

_"Ohh." I can both hear and see the uneasiness that quickly overtakes her. _

_"C'mon Lee, he looks like somethings bothering him."_

_Sighing, she leans forward, and opens her eyes unwillingly to look across the room at him._

_"I miss you," he whispers._

I always knew Jacob was a brave guy. He panted after Bella time after time and was constantly thinking about her. He didn't even bother to hide the pain he felt when he phased and had us all in head. If I were in his position, I wouldn't be able to do that. I would not want people to see me in such a state. And then _this._ I can't believe I missed _this!_ I can actually hear the pain in his whisper. I'm sure we all could. I just - guys normally don't just flat out say stuff like this in front of all of their friends. But Jacob. . . . he never ceases to amaze me.

_She doesn't answer, just stares right back at him._

_"Take me back, please?" he pleads in a soft voice._

To say I'm shocked, is the worlds biggest understatement of the year. It's no wonder Embry's been tripping balls lately. I've never seen Jacob look so _weak. _I know it's messed up to be thinking how absolutely vulnerable your friend looks, but this. . . . I can't even begin to explain this. Even when he was pining over Bella, he didn't _ever _look this broken. It makes sense now. If my best friend looked this disheveled, I would be just as worried about him or her as Embry is with Jacob. That look of pure anguish leaves a mark on you_._

_"Leah, I lo -" Jacob's cut off by Embry's hand that is held tightly over Jacob's mouth, refusing to let him finish his sentence._

_"C'mon bro, they're waiting for you outside," Embry says in a sad voice, still keeping his hand firmly over Jacob's mouth._

_Leah turns towards Jared and opens her mouth to explain, but she's cut off by him, "It's okay Lee, I know."_

_Jacob, refusing to listen to Embry, makes his way towards Leah. Jared pulls her to him, earning a frightening muffled growl from Jacob._

_"Jake man, what are you doing? Sam's waiting!" Jared scolds, tightening his hold on Leah._

_Leah watches as the tremors on Jacob's back start to tremble and he's shaking. She's worried, scared, pained, hurt, regretful. Each and every emotion is displayed on her face for all to see. Anyone who couldn't name each emotion from her face is an idiot._

_"Jake," she say quietly. The shaking automatically stops, and he's looking at her with hopeful eyes._

_"Sam's waiting for you," she says with a sort of finality in her voice. His shoulders slump, and he pulls Embry's hand from his mouth._

_"It's really over?" he asks sadly._

_She's looking away, not wanting to look in his eyes. When she doesn't answer, he does, "I'm so sorry, Leah_."

- _END OF FLASHBACK(s) -_

As much as I want to punch Jacob square in the nose like Leah had, I can't help but feel for my friend. I'm now haunted by the look of sorrow on _both _of their faces. The look of defeat on his and the look of rejection on her's. I can't say that I fully understand where either of them are coming from, because to be honest, _I've _never been in a relationship where it was anywhere near dramatic as the Sam-Leah-Jacob-Bella situation. And quite frankly, I neverwant to go through any of that. No one does.

_Crazy, huh? _Embry says, breaking the silence.

_Yeah. . . I never knew - geez, I feel like an ass. . ._

_It's not your fault. You were already out there with Quil and Sam. And if it makes you feel any better, neither of them know what went down after you three left._

_No, it doesn't make me feel better. I _still _feel like an ass, Embry. _

I was whining now, but I don't care. How can I be so dumb? So blind? How did I not see the _love _that surrounded them?

_Seth, relax. Just let them work it out, okay? They need to._

All of my resentment about my sister and alpha was out the door. Sure, it still didn't sway too well with me, but who am I to deny their feelings for each other? As much as I want to puke my guts out and never think about my sisters relationship status with my friend, I _have_ to. I _need_ to because this isn't about me. It's about two people who both obviously love each other but are having a hard time showing it. Sure, their eyes show it, but punching each other and arguing at the top of their lungs won't help one little bit. It might bring out the passionate side -_ ewwww_ - but not the _real _love. I can't just sit here and watch two people, my family and a great friend, slowly kill themselves out of misery. I can't watch Leah succumb into the dark again. She was just starting to smile again. . . I can't lose her again. If I do, who knows how long it will take until she smiles a real smile that actually reaches her eyes? I want to be angry. I _should _be angry. I'm her brother, I'm not supposed to approve of their relationship. I guess, in a way, I'm still going to hold a tiny grudge - and by tiny, that means huge - on Jake for breaking my sisters heart. Until he proves me wrong, I'll find the will to forgive him. I won't interfere. I'll sit back and wait. If they really are in love, if they really do love each other, if Jacob really is over Bella and Leah over Sam, then they have to show all of us, me, Embry, Jared, Paul, and Quil, that they're grown-up enough to work things out and just be _happy. _No limitations, no borders, no rules, just _happiness. _If it really is love and not just an infatuation, then I expect it to be hard and take time. If it _is _just an infatuation, I will have no problem kicking my alpha's ass and I'm sure the guys would be more than willing to help out.

_Couldn't have said it better myself, _Embry chuckles, nodding in agreement.

_Y'know, I don't think I've ever felt this awkward in my entire life_, I say, shuddering at the thought of Jacob and Leah.

_Yeah, that must suck, _he laughs. _Hey there they are - _whoa!

_Wha - WHAT THE FUCK? _

I see them, and it takes all my self-control to not growl at the sight before me. Jacob is on his knees, hugging Leah tightly to his chest. She's frozen, probably in shock, but eventually wraps her arms firmly around his torso. The sight is sickening. I know I said I wanted them to be together but did it have to be so _soon_? Wait, are they even together? They couldn't possibly have made up so quickly. I _really_ don't want to be here watching my sister in such an intimate position.

_Can wolves vomit, because I think I feel yesterdays meal slithering up my throat._

_Seth, relax. Look. . . it almost looks like -_

_They're glowing_, I breathe, finishing for him. Embry nods and I feel the confusion and curiosity in his mind that.

I see Jacob lower his head so his lips are brushing her ear. His eyes are shut making him look calm and serene. His lips are tilted up in a smile, a smile I haven't seen in a while. I turn my head slightly to study Leah's face and my eyes bulge as I notice that she has the _exact _same expression etched upon her face as his. Jacob opens his mouth to say something, he's whispers her name in her ear, but our enhanced hearing lets us hear exactly what he's saying.

"I l -"

"LEAH!" I shout, making the two jump away from each other.

I don't know how I did it or how it happened so fast, but I managed to phase back and run out of the forest bellowing Leah's name. A record-breaker. No one could have phased from wolf to human as fast as I just did. As soon as I heard that "L" sound, I screamed Leah's name. Maybe that triggered the "phase now" button. Whatever the reason for however the hell I was able to do that so quick, I'm grateful for it. I may be rooting for Jacob and Leah to get back together, but I don't want _him _to make the dumb mistake and tell her he loves her. Not now, anyway. Not so fast. They _just _made up. I think. He can't just rush into things. Even if they were in a relationship before, it doesn't matter. He has to prove himself to her. Telling her he loves her won't do squat. If anything, it'll scare her off. I know Leah like the back of my hand. She's afraid of the "L-word." Not that she's scared of commitment, just the "I-word" that can very well ruin what the "L-word" once meant. I bet Leah's thinking I'm the _biggest _cock-block of the century, but I'm doing them both a _huge _favor by interrupting this little scene. Call me an asshole, but this is _my _way of showing them that I love _them._

I see Jacob whisper something far too low for either Embry and I to hear, to Leah. They're both glaring daggers at us, obviously pissed that we caught them in such an intimate moment and then even _more_ pissed that we _interrupted_ them. Well, sucks for them. What am I suppose to say to them? _Oops?_

_"_What?" Leah snaps, earning a smile from Jacob, once Embry and I are close enough.

"Uh-we-uhmm. . . " nice Seth, way to be smooth. You sure are looking cool, standing here and stuttering like a blabbering idiot in front of your _very _close Alpha and Beta.

"Seth," Jacob pushes, in a firm tone. "Stop stuttering and spit it out."

"We-uhmm, you know, just wanted to. . . uh, tell you that -"

"We think it's a good idea to visit Billy," Embry says, shifting the attention from me to him.

Thank GOD Embry was born with brains! I don't even want to imagine how screwed I would have been if it were Quil standing by my side instead of Embry. Odds are, he would have been laughing his ass off at me for stuttering like a fool instead of helping me out.

"Wha -"

"That's a _great _idea!" Leah exclaims, cutting Jacob off. "When are we going?"

"Whenever we're free, I guess," Jacob sighs, rubbing the back of his neck as he watches Leah beam at the mention of his dad.

Huh. It must be hard for Jake to watch Leah practically bounce from excitement wanting to see his _dad_ instead of him.

"I'm free now," Leah says, smiling weakly. "I just got off patrol."

"Alright, we'll go now," Jacob nods, smiling back at her like a love-sick puppy!

I turn my head towards Embry, grinning. He rolls his eyes at me and puts me in a headlock, whispering only so I can hear, "You owe me _big time_."

* * *

**A/N**: Hey everyone! This was a pretty long chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Everytime I write in Seth's point of view, I always get carried away. I love Sethy-poo! :) Anyways, I had to figure out how to get good 'ole Billy Black into the story, and thought this was..._decent? _Haha. Well anyways, please review! I'd love to hear all of your feedback! =]]


	24. The Unknown Prophecy

**Chapter 24: The Unknown Prophecy **

_"I don't wanna be the girl who has to fill the silence,  
The quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth.  
Please don't tell me that we had that conversation,  
When I won't remember save your breath 'cause what's the use?  
Aahh, the night is calling,  
And it whispers to me softly "come and play."_

_- _Sober by Pink

* * *

**LPOV**

Have you ever had that gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of your stomach when you know you've done something so wrong, it literally makes you want to crumble down to the floor? The feeling of deep sorrow and remorse? When guilt makes its way through the steady flowing of your blood and eats its way inside and out of your entire body?

Standing here, in the little space of a room the hospital offers, I'm fighting back the tears that are threatening to pour out of my eyes. My arms are wrapped around my torso and my hands balled into fists. My jaw is clenched but I can't help the trembling of my lip at the sickening sight before me. Here, Billy Black laid; eyes closed, breathing light, skin, a sickly pale color, and loss of weight. He hasn't moved at all since we got here, the only sign of life was the steady but painfully slow beating of his heart that scared the four of us into silence. The rising of his chest was so small, so light, that if you blinked, you'd miss it and think the man wasn't breathing at all.

"Billy?" I whimpered, afraid if I used my normal tone, my voice would crack like I know it would.

"He's unconscious. He's been unconscious and sleeping since," I hadn't even noticed the leech doctor standing at the door with a small frown on his face. He paused in the middle of his sentence to give a brief glance at Jacob, then turned back to me with slightly furrowed brows, "the last time both of the Quileute packs were here visiting."

"Is he. . . . okay?" Seth choked, shutting his eyes tightly as he asked the question we all feared to ask.

Each of us knew that Billy was not okay at all, but we wanted to ask the question that Seth did, all the same. Because although we knew Billy was nowhere near 'okay' there is always that little ray of hope that the doctor might tell us that he really is fine, that this was just a weird way of recovering.

"He hasn't made much of a difference since the last time you all saw him," the leech doctor said in a saddened tone, "he seems to be fighting something. What he's fighting, I do not know. I had my son, Jasper, come in and check on his stability and he says that Mr. Black is in some sort of dilemma. He's frustrated."

"What could he possibly be frustrated about?" Embry asked, frowning at Billy in confusion.

"We don't know. Edward said he will be coming down here to try and get a look inside his head."

"But I thought you said he was unconscious," Jacob said, his eyes never leaving his father's sickly-looking face.

"He is, but if Jasper was able to read his emotions while unconscious, it may work for Edward as well. We just need to know what it is that is bothering him."

Jacob nodded and the room fell silent once again.

Carlisle (Since he's taking good care of Billy, I might as well acknowledge him by name. He seems more human anyway, and if he can control himself in a hospital, then the parasite definitely deserves an award) left the room to let us spend time with the elder. I had thought that with Carlisle out of the room, it would have eased the tension. It didn't. In fact, it worsened it. With Carlisle gone, it made the room that much more haunting. The grim expressions that were plastered on each of our faces wasn't helping at all either. I glanced at each of the boys; Jacob, I could tell, was fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall. His eyes were focused on Billy and only Billy. I could see just how much pain it caused him to watch his father barely hang on to life by a thread. I reverted my gaze from him and focused on Embry. Embry wasn't watching Billy like I thought he would. Instead he was staring so intensely at the floor I swear the ground was going to crack through the middle. There were creases in his forehead and his brows were pulled tightly together, casting a deep frown on his face. He was devastated, I know that much. Embry loves Billy, everyone loves the old man. But this look on Embry's face. . . it's one of confusion. It's the same face he makes when he can't figure something out, when something is nagging at him. He's confused and _afraid. _I tore my eyes away from Embry's statue-like stance, and almost blanched at the expression on Seth's face. His eyes were narrowed into little slits, his nostrils flared, jaw clenched, and his hands were flexing, something he did when he was about to hit something. Or someone. I couldn't understand why Seth could possibly be angry at Billy. It wasn't his fault that he was tortured by the leeches, he was helpless. I followed where Seth's eyes were focused on and almost gasped. His eyes were on Jacob. Seth's angry at Jacob. But. . . why? What did Jacob do to get Seth so angry? He was fine before, why is he suddenly so infuriated?

I chose not to ponder over the many questions whirring around in my mind, and focused on Billy's hands. I refused to look at his face because although he looked peaceful, his physical appearance said otherwise. Billy Black is a stubborn man, which is probably why he could relate to my dad so well. If Billy wanted to keep something from us, he was going to do whatever it takes to do it. That's what scares me. It's what scares all of us. The realization of it all. The man was a pain in the ass when it came to coming clean. I never thought I would _ever _say this - or think this - but I have never been more glad at the mention of having Edward and Jasper here. Although I would deny it outright if someone mentioned it, it was the truth. Since Jasper can read Billy's emotions, I'm desperately begging that Edward will be able to hear Billy's thoughts.

I usually like silence. It gives me time to think, gives me time to myself. But this silence. . . it wasn't exactly the silence I wanted. Call me insane, but this silence was extremely _loud. _It was banging in my ears, screaming at me. The tension in the room, the ragged breathing, it was all so loud. The expressions on the guys' face were screaming 'pain'. I couldn't ever, for the life of me, concentrate in this kind of silence because this silence is screaming only the obvious and predictable things. It's like that line in that song "Sober" by Pink: _"The quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth."_

Death. I hate that word. I hate that word with a passion. I leaves a horrid taste in my mouth when I speak of it and poisons my thoughts when I think of it. I try my hardest to keep away from that word. Except now it's the only word that's circling my thoughts, destroying every other thought in it's way. Like I said, _poison._

We waited and just sat there in silence for such a long time, each of us consumed with our own thoughts, when Jacob's phone went off making each of us jump up three feet in the air. My eyes were focused on him now, as were Embry's. I suppose Seth still held his glare at Jacob to not have to snap his eyes at him. We watched, like predators, as Jacob ripped his phone out of his pocket with an aggravated look upon his face. Once he saw who was calling him, his eyes turned from aggravated to worried to annoyed. He pushed the talk button and spoke.

"Hello?"

"Jake! Where are you? Do you think you can come back to the mansion?"

He tried to cover the speaker of his phone but it was no use. We heard the voice. We knew who it was. _Bella. _We waited for him to answer, each of us expecting him to tell her no. He looked at each of us, his eyes lingering on me a little longer than necessary before focusing his eyes back on Billy.

"Bella," he sighed, sounding a little agitated. "I'm in the hospital with my dad."

Okay, that wasn't exactly the 'hell no' I was wanting to hear, but at least he somewhat said no to the skank.

"Is he alright? What happened?" Bella asked, in a frantic voice. I could distinctly hear the ice-bitch bloodsucker softly telling her to relax.

"He's. . . he's not looking too good, Bells. Don't worry about it, we'll explain it to you later."

"O-okay," she said, clearly disappointed. "Will you come visit me later today?"

"Sure, sure." The words rolled off his tongue so easily with no hesitation it was like a slap across the face.

It's not that Jacob struggles to answer anything I say, no, that's not it at all. It's the fact that he doesn't even think twice about agreeing with anything Mrs. I-like-frozen-dicks says. When I was speaking to Jacob earlier, none of his answers rolled off his tongue that smoothly.

"Well Edward left a while ago saying he had to take care of things at the hospital with Carlisle, so you can just ride back with him," Bella said cheerfully.

"Bella -"

"Bye, Jake!"

Dial tone.

"Bye," he said, sounding a bit peeved.

"You aren't really gonna go back down there, are you?" Seth asked with accusatory eyes.

Jacob opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by two light knocks on the door.

"Come in," Embry said.

Carlisle walked in with Edward. Damn, I didn't know vampires could even look tired. Edward looked exhausted. Bella must have been putting the leech through so much stress. One can only handle so much until they fall from exhaustion. I haven't really looked at Edward since I joined Jacob's pack, I just acknowledged him as the leech, bloodsucker, parasite, mosquito, cocksucker, prince of glitter, etcetera, etcetera.

He shot me a look of disapproval to which I snorted at.

_Oh no! Edward Cullen is disappointed in me! I better go get baptized!_

He rolled his eyes at me and shook his head. I just smirked at him.

"Any change?" Carlisle asked with a sad smile. Although he was attempting to ease the mood, it was clear for anyone to see that it was taking a toll on him to force a smile upon his face at this time.

"None, doc," Jacob sighed.

"Edward," Carlisle said, nodding at his 'son.'

Edward locked his eyes on Billy's figure and squinted his eyes in concentration.

We waited in more silence for something. _Anything__. _I could see the frustration clearly on Edward's face. His expression would change from intrigued to confused to skeptical to shock. We just sat there waiting for him to get something to let us know that Billy was going to be fine, that this was just his way of playing a horrible prank on us. It felt like an eternity until the bloodsucker finally spoke.

"He's trying to remember something, a conversation he had with his father. . ." Edward said, still holding his gaze on Billy.

No. Fucking. Way.

"A conversation. We're here stressing out because the old man is trying to remember a _conversation_?" Embry asked, exasperated. There was skepticism etched on his face as he directed his question at Edward.

"It has something to do with Ephriam Black being the alpha," Edward said. Creases were appearing on Edward's forehead from the immense concentration he was putting on Billy's thoughts.

"But we already know Ephriam Black was the alpha, what more is there to it?" I asked, burying my face in my hands.

"No, there is a prophecy. . . about a woman -"

"A _prophecy? _A woman? You mean the third wife? We already heard that story, Billy was the one who told us about it," Seth said, matter-of-factly.

"No, the woman in the prophecy saved the tribe, the pack, and the imprints."

"Yeah, that's exactly what the third wife did," I said, getting annoyed.

If Edward was here only to be repeating snippets from stories we've all heard before, then he can get the fuck out. He's wasting our time.

"This woman saved them all from a vampire," Edward said, in a frustrated tone.

"Again. That's _exactly _what the third wife did," Jacob said, glaring at Edward's nonsense. "If this is your idea of a joke -"

"It had been a dream Taha Aki had the night before the vampire went into the village. He had one of his pack brothers write his dream out for him because they found that when he dreamt of something it usually came true."

"And?" Jacob pushed.

Edward's eyebrows pulled together so tightly, it almost looked painful. "His thoughts. . . he's getting frustrated again, he can't remember. . . all I get is little snippets of what his father had told him. That the girl's blood doesn't attract, but rather disgusts the vampires. She isn't human -"

There were two shocked gasps that came from Edward and Embry. Normally I'd make a smart comment and laugh at the fact that they were _gasping. _I bit my tongue from snorting when I saw the shocked and frightened expressions on Edward and Embry's faces.

"Leah," they both breathed.

No way. Hell no. I know they don't think I'm buying into this bullshit prophecy. "_What?" _I growled, snapping my head in the direction of the two.

"Don't tell me it doesn't make sense. If you piece everything together that Edward told us, it describes you," Embry said in an almost hesitant tone.

"You're a fucking idiot, Embry," I said tonelessly.

"Leah -"

"Seriously Embry, if you open your mouth one more time about this, I will castrate you," I snarled.

Embry gulped and nodded, unwillingly tearing his gaze away from my piercing glare and onto Edward, who was eyeing me very skeptically.

"May I ask you a few questions, Leah?" Edward asked politely.

"No."

"Too bad, I'll ask them anyway," Edward said, shrugging.

"Do it, I won't answer you," I smirked.

"Well since I decided to help you and answer _your_ questions in_ my_ house about _my_ guest, I think it's only fair that you'd do me the same favor and answer mine as well."

"Don't count on it, leech."

"That's quite alright, I'll just ask your pack members then," he smiled, brushing off my hostility.

"Are any of you aware of a human female on the Quileute Reservation that knows the secret about the pack and my family?" Edward asked, directing his question to the boys but keeping his eyes firmly locked on mine.

There was a chorus of 'no's'.

"Oh, what a shame," Edward shook his head faking disappointment. "Well then, do any of you know of a girl who _isn't _human and knows all of the secrets?"

Jacob, Seth, and Embry all turned to look at me with sheepish smiles before answering Edward with a 'yeah,' yup,' and an 'uh huh.'

"Is that so?" Edward questioned with a small smile forming on his lips. "Does this certain female have blood that happens to, you know, _disgust _us leeches?"

Three nods from my oh so very loyal pack members put me near the brink of phasing and tearing them all to shreds. I swear to Taha Aki if I hear one of these bastards say another word, I will fuck them up so bad.

Carlisle was having a hard time trying not to smile and Edward coughed, trying to hide a laugh. Doesn't fool me. Since when do vampires cough?

_You little shit! Stop corrupting my pack! They're already dumb enough as it is, you don't need to add onto their idiocy with your bullshit!_

Of course my words had no effect on the dumb leech, but what did I expect? That vampires actually have feelings? Puh-lease. Well, with the exception of Carlisle and Esme. Everyone else is just. . . well they're vampires.

"I think I might have an idea of _one _particular girl. . ." Edward said slyly, grinning at me.

_I swear will kick your punkass to da curb. Do not even _think _about continuing._

"What do you guys think? Any idea who this girl might be? I mean I _think_ I have an idea, but I have to run it through with you guys - just to be sure."

_To da curb, Edward. To. Da. Curb._

"Leah!" Seth coughed, looking away from me very quickly.

"What was that, Seth?" Edward asked in a sugary sweet voice.

_Fuck you, Edward. Fuck you and your frozen-dick-sucking-leech-loving-albino-looking-pathetic-excuse-for-a-human wife! _

"What? I don't know what you're talkin' about man, I didn't say nothin'," Seth said, shaking his head frantically at Edward.

Edward was glaring at me now. I guess he doesn't like it when I talk about miss knock-me-up. I rolled my eyes very slowly just to show him that his glare has no effect on me whatsoever. I mean, come _on_! I am Leah Clearwater, I invented the glare. Shoot, I bet my ancestors kicked Edward's ass in the glaring department too!

_I've got nastier words up my sleeves for your baby mama, bloodsucker. I got a question for you Eddie-boy, did you almost kill Bella when you popped her cherry? I bet you did huh? How kinky._

"May I cut in? I apologize in advance to you Miss Clearwater, seeing as how you're not too fond of this _theory. _But it does seem that you fit well into the description. Forgive me for saying this but, you should be honored that you are part of this prophecy," Carlisle said with a dazed look on his face.

My jaw was on the ground and I'm sure my eyes were as big as frisbees.

"It's Leah - and are you serious? You actually believe all of this? How do you know this isn't some random dream that Billy's having?" I asked, my voice raising after every word that flew out of my mouth.

"If what Edward is telling us is just a dream, then we would have had no problem waking him up. He's unconscious for a reason, Leah."

Okay. _Now_ I'm pissed. I know Billy more than these leeches. Billy frustrates himself when he can't remember things. Maybe the old man just wanted to relive some past memories of him and his pops. That's understandable, right? If I were unconscious, I wouldn't want to be awake watching the ivy fluids run through tubes and into my body. I would do what Billy's doing right now. I'd sleep my way through my stay at the hospital. Why bore myself? If I were unconscious the only thing I would want to do is think about happy memories. My dad. I would want to speak to my dad, although that seems entirely impossible, but at least I'd be happy. Maybe what Billy is doing is for protection or to just make the time go by faster by being knocked out. But if he really is frustrated with something that he can't remember from his past, then I see no problem in letting him take his time. If I were in Billy's position, I wouldn't give two flying fucks about the world around me. I'd want to be trying to remember everything I possibly could. I don't understand why it's such a big deal now. At first I thought the old man was dying, but now I see it's just him. He's doing this by choice. He'll live, I know he will and I have a feeling the rest of the room feels that way as well. They're just too afraid to say it because they don't want to jinx our luck. That's understandable. What's not understandable is the fact that none of these retards get the fact that Billy is just a stubborn old fool that won't come back until he gets what he wants. The weird thing is, I didn't think a person could control when they fall out of unconsciousness. I _still _don't think that. But this is Billy, the old man is special.

Edward was smirking now. I'll gladly wipe that smirk off his face.

_Hey Ed_fart, _assuming that you ate out your idiot of a wife, were you restraining yourself from sucking the blood of her popped cherry? Wait, do you even know what the cherry is? Never mind you're like a billion years old of course you don't, I'll just explain it to you, the cherry is the hymen. _

Nostrils flared, jaw clenched, eyes ablaze, and fists tightened into balls. Ah yes, this is image of a _very _angry Edward Cullen. Mission accomplished. How I love the feeling of success. I don't _ever _want to have the mental image of Edward doing that to Bella. Ever. And yes, it was incredibly vile, but hey _I gotta do what I gotta do. _

"Lets just say that all of this bullshit is true," I said slowly, hesitantly. "What the hell do you all expect me to do about it? If it's true, cool. If not, I'll rub it in all of your faces until the end of time."

"Well, that's just it. We don't know anything about it. A little research wouldn't hurt," Carlisle said with a small smile. I swear this guy has a halo above his head. Good or bad, the dude always has a smile on his face. Props to him. Maybe he can train me in 'turning my frown upside down' like Seth always tells me to.

"_Homework? _You have got to be kidding me." My arms were folded tightly across my chest. There is no way in hell that I'm going to be doing _research _on this bullshit. I graduated a year ago and I'm very much enjoying the freedom of no homework. I will _not _be wasting my time on this crap.

"Yeah, I'm not so sure I like that idea doc," Jacob agreed, giving Carlisle a 'oh hell no' look.

"You got a better idea, doc? I'm not game with this one," Embry laughed, shaking his head.

"Come on guys, it wont be so bad! It might be fun." Jacob, Embry, and I, turned to look at Seth with bewildered expressions. I would have thought that as a freshman I would be dreaded with the thought of more homework. But no, I have a brother that tries to make _everything _exciting. Of course Seth has to be the one that's thrilled with the idea of doing anything that the bloodsuckers want. I don't know why he's a wolf. If he's so damn loyal, he should have shifted into a hound dog. I heard those puppies are as loyal as can be. Or a German Shepherd. Whatever, the reason, Seth is just slightly damaged in the head to be thinking that research on our own sweet time might actually be fun.

"Y'know what, kid?" Jacob said, grinning at Seth. "You're absolutely right."

"What?" Embry and I growled.

"I am?" Seth beamed. Huh, guess he's not mad at Jacob anymore. Can't say I'm surprised. He_ is_ chief and editor in the 'I-love-Jacob-Black' fanclub, I didn't expect the punk to stay mad at him.

"You sure are!" Jacob said excitedly, "Which is why you will do the research for us. Your enthusiasm is a great work ethic, you don't need us three holding you back."

Embry and I busted out laughing, and there were two chuckles that came from Carlisle and Edward. I had to wrap my arms around my torso because my gut was hurting from laughing so much. It felt good. I haven't laughed freely like this since the breakup. It felt good. Light. Airy almost. I didn't have to hold myself back, and my face felt tons better. I didn't have to restrain myself from smiling. It takes a lot of hard work and effort to look as frowny and miserable as I do. Trust me, I'm an expert in looking like a bitch. Freezing my face into a permanent scowl has it's toll. It feels nice to let loose and break the ridiculous 'angry mask' I so perfectly sculpted. It's like it just shattered into a million pieces, and now I have a renewed, refreshed, face. My face was bent into a frown ever since the breakup. It's like a strained muscle, it doesn't feel right until you stretch it. My smile stretched from ear to ear. Yes, I feel great. Even though this is probably the most unbelievably stupidest things I've ever heard of in my life.

"Ha-ha, you guys are hilarious," Seth said tonelessly.

"Aw, cheer up kid. You can have fun for the_ four_ of us!" Embry laughed, bumping fists with a grinning Jacob.

"Someone shoot me now," Seth mumbled to himself, although it sounded more like a plea. We have enhanced hearing so we heard it, which of course let us to another fit of laughter.

"Geez, Seth. You're just the butt of every joke today, huh?" I laughed.

He rolled his eyes and turned to Carlisle, "You got a better idea? I know I'll never live this down but you gotta have some other sort of plan or _something_."

"Well, you can always talk to one of the other elders and see if they know anything about this prophecy," Carlisle smiled.

"The only one we'd be able to talk to is Old Quil 'cause mom will go ape-shit if she sees me or Seth," I said, shuddering at the thought of my mom going on one of her rampages. People think _I'm_ crazy? Ha. Sue Clearwater is a psycho, you don't want to get on her bad side. Been there, and I had to ice my ass for a week because the bruises and the swelling wouldn't go away. I know she spends all her time in Forks with Charlie, but with everything going haywire in La Push, she would have been informed by Old Quil. Which means she's probably in La Push right now. _Greaaaat._

"We'll work with the options we have. Besides, Old Quil is like, ancient, so he'll probably know more than Sue anyway," Jacob said, shrugging.

"Okay, that sounds great," Carlisle said.

"You think Sam's pack will let all of you back onto the reservation?" Edward asked.

"_All _of us? Absolutely not, I won't take part in any of this," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Two of you can talk to Old Quil, the other two can just look for anything that might help us figure this whole thing out," Edward said.

"I'm down. I'll talk to Old Quil. You guys game?" Embry asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I'll go with you," Seth smiled, agreeing immediately. Of course he would.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a mystery to solve," Jacob said, smiling a cheeky smile. "Let's get this scavenger hunt over with."

"What about Bella?" Seth asked, his cheery tone suddenly replaced by a much darker one.

"She can manage," Jacob shrugged. "C'mon, Lee."

"Thanks, Dr. Cullen," I waved, a small smile tugging at my lips as I made eye contact with Edward.

"You're welcome, Leah."

"You are someone who has insightful thoughts and turn them into very disturbing mental images," Edward commented, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"How unfortunate for you," I snorted, flipping him off and walking out the door behind my three very eager pack.

A scavenger hunt, how fun. . . NOT!

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**A/N: **Hey everyone! =) So remember way back then when I asked you all if I should bring in the legends or Renesmee? Well, most of you voted on the legends, so here it is. I'm bringing 'em in people. I know this chapter may seem a bit iffy, but it will all set into play soon enough. And I know Jayden is the bad guy, but I'm missing him a little. Aren't you? I don't know if you all will consider having the next chapter in his point of view, but it's all I can give for now. We gotta get into the head of our demented little vampire. PLEASE REVIEW! =]]


	25. Cheat Sheet

**Chapter 25: Cheat sheet**

**Jayden POV**

_Traitors_. I suppose that's what Sam Uley must think of Jacob Black and his newly formed pack of renegades. For once, I'm going to have to agree with him. Not that I don't mind the tension between the packs, their feuding only makes my job easier. I have to say, watching Jacob Black ditch his tribe, his - _my _- Girlfriend, his family, his beliefs - all for Bella Cullen, really was the cherry on top of my already perfect cake. I hadn't realized just how easily manipulated the guy was. Especially by someone as uninteresting as _Bella_. Although I was very satisfied to watch Jacob Black - the future chief of the Quileutes and the true alpha - betray his people for the poor choices of one unmistakably repulsive human girl, my mood was quickly darkened by one tiny, yet huge, mishap: Leah had followed him and turned her back on her people as well, something I thought she wouldn't _ever _do. She did the unthinkable for _him._

Not only does Leah's little decision of following the idiot make things more difficult for me, but now the Cullens will probably stand by their side once they know one of their guard dogs is in danger. One of those 'eye for an eye' things. Jacob's pack protects the Cullens so they shall return the favor and protect them as well. I'm sure their future-seer knows something is up, I figure she's getting blurry images in her head thanks to Jacob's pack. Carter has informed me that Edward has been very guarded and tense around him ever since Leah and the newly joined Embry, decided to question Carter about his whereabouts. Once I heard of this, I back handed the idiot. Of course! Why he didn't think the wolves would recognize the scent of the ocean on him was beyond me. I was outraged. He could have blown our cover! He's just lucky he didn't think about me _or _our hideout during the interrogation, seeing as how Edward was there and all. We could have easily been captured. Maybe.

I've learned that Carter had spent time with Leah. What he failed to mention to me was his little rendezvous with her in Portland fucking Oregon. I asked him to do one simple task, and that task was to get her alone. Which he did. Yet he forgot about our game plan and decided he wanted to show her a 'good time'. I cornered him and nearly tore his head off when he undoubtedly forgot to explain just what he meant by a good time. Ridiculous, I know. Leah wouldn't ever give herself so willingly to anyone, especially a vampire. Turns out Carter had taken Leah to this thing called the Rose Festival, apparently they have lots of carnival rides there. "She was looking a bit down, she needed to let loose for a while," was his reasoning. I let it go eventually, but my jealousy never left. He got to be the one to spend time with Leah, not me. Never me. That will change soon. _Very _soon.

I brushed off the debris from my left shoulder and observed my surroundings. I was walking the border of the Makah Reservation waiting to catch a lone human off guard. I can't hunt on Quileute land or on Forks grounds, it's too risky. Carter and I have both agreed to leave the La Push and Forks residents alone, we'll toy with the people on the Makah Reservation and in Seattle. Maybe in Olympia too. It really doesn't matter, as long as we're off _their _territory. Carter - bless his cold, dead, soul - doesn't get to hunt humans as often now that he is housing with the Cullens. He hunts a human whenever he can, which has been _once _so far. He spends his time hunting animals, which I find utterly disgusting. His eyes have gone a shade lighter as well. They aren't a fierce red anymore, more like _light red_? I don't fucking know. It doesn't matter, I refer to him as _Pink Eye_ now. He hates it, which is really why I keep using the stupid nickname on him every chance I get. I should be grateful that he's even helping me out even after I drained his parents, but I know Carter will light himself on fire before he even thinks about wandering this world alone. So really, I have no reason to be nice.

The sky gets darker as the ominous clouds hover above the little houses on the reservation. The waves on the beach are crashing onto one another roughly and I take the bad weather as my cue to start hunting. It's only a matter of time until people scurry to the shelter of their homes. Sure, there will be many fast moving feet, but there's always that one person who just isn't fast enough and always gets caught. I don't really feel up for a chase, I'm just not feeling it right now, so I'm settling for an easy kill. The sooner, the better. I scan the area and sure enough people are parking their beat-up cars and using books and the palms of their hands as useless hoods against the pouring rain. You gotta love Washington weather.

"I have to run to work - make sure she doesn't get into the cookie jars! Shoot! This weather is absolutely dreadful!" A woman says, shuffling in her doorway for her keys and an umbrella. She's a little plump and looks _very _familiar. There's a deep frown on her face as she stares sadly at the pouring rain. She sighs deeply and turns around extending her arms out.

"Come here, baby. Give momma a kiss, I have to go to work now. You be a good girl to Ashley, okay?" The woman says, bending over to squeeze the little girl in her arms in a tight embrace. A girl, no older than 16, steps out and watches the mother-daughter scene with a light smile on her face.

"I will, momma. I wuv you," the little girl says, placing a rather sloppy kiss on the side of her mother's face. The woman, of course, beamed at her little girl and returned the gesture. Ew.

"I love you too, sweetheart," she says, grinning fondly at the infant. The woman then releases the child and stands tall to face the teenager. I resist the urge to gasp as I take in the child's appearance. She looks _exactly _like her mother. And this child, looks like none other than the very special, Claire Young. "Sorry for the inconvenience, Ash. It was just such a short notice, I sure do owe you one! I get off at eight tonight, call me if there's an emergency. And thank you again, sweetie. Really."

"It's no problem, aunt Grace. Really, it's not like I have anything to do, especially in this kind of weather. Besides, I love Claire-bear. I'll take good care of her," Ashley says, ruffling Claire's hair and grinning down at her.

"Thanks again, Ash," the mother - Grace - says, as she waves and hurriedly rushes out to her little car. Once she takes off, I grin a mischievous smile.

It's no wonder Grace had looked so familiar to me, she looks just like little Claire. Little Claire who just happens to be the imprint of a certain Quil Ateara. My, how the tables have turned. Looks like I'm not going to have to work too hard on my little scheme as I thought. Yay me. I never did like homework. I'll think of this as a cheat sheet. Didn't think I'd actually go after little Claire, I was actually gonna just stick with getting to Kim first. I guess she'll just have to do. For now.

The teenager, Ashley, will be easy to manipulate. With my cunning looks and my witty charm, she won't be able to resist. The Makah's don't have the same suspicions as the Quileutes do. The Quileutes have legends that revolve around vampires and their stupid shape-shifters, the Makah's don't. What I will do with Ashley is a mystery. I can't drink her blood. Well, not yet at least. She's related to Claire, who is related to Emily, who is related to Leah. Ashley just might be a relative of Leah's, and if she is, then I've hit jackpot. I could use the_ both _of these kids as my hostages.

I slowly make my way towards the little house, taking my sweet time, enjoying the feeling of success whirl around me. I grin as I take the first step on the porch, feeling my adrenaline pump through my nonexistent veins as I raise my hand into a fist to knock on the door. I straighten my jacket out, even though it's soaked along with the rest of my body.

The knob rattles and the door opens widely to a shocked and confused-looking Ashley. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, my name is Quil Ateara. I'm here for Claire," I say in a polite tone, smiling ear to ear.

"Quil Ateara? I don't know anyone by that name," she says in a shaky voice. Her eyes are glazed with fear and I know it's due to the fact that my eyes are a burgundy color. Can't have the blue showing now, I have to keep calm.

"Don't mind the eyes," I grin, winking at Ashley. "They're just contacts. My little brother got them for me and I thought they were awesome. I had to try them out."

"Oh," she breathes a sigh of relief. "Claire-bear is in the living room watching T.V. would you like to come in?"

"Yes, thank you," I smile.

"So, you're here for Claire?" she asks, leading me into the kitchen.

"Yeah," I nod, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Why? Mrs. Young hasn't mentioned anything about you," she said, sounding perplexed. She was eyeing me, looking me up and down with an appreciative look. I smirk, knowing I've got her. She may be skeptical now, but she'll be in the bag sooner or later.

"Really? That's weird. I usually babysit her, I love the kid. She's like my baby sister," I say, resisting the urge to gag at the sound of me being affectionate.

"Huh. Well, let me just call her up real quick and see what she says."

"Sure, sure." I use Jacob's catch phrase to avoid sounding like myself as much as possible.

"Hello?" I hear Grace answer.

"Hey, aunty Grace. Sorry to bother you, but a Quil Atear is here," Ashley speaks into the phone, sounding more like she's asking a question rather than informing Grace that her daughter's imprintee is here.

"Oh!" Grace chimes, happily. "Quilly is there? He loves Claire. I assume he misses her, he can take her off your hands."

"Really?" Ashley sounds surprised.

"Yeah. He'll be more than happy to take her off your hands, sweetheart. Trust me. I know there's a party going on down by the school, why don't you go enjoy yourself?"

"Thanks, aunt Grace. But the weather looks real bad outside. I think I'll just chill here," Ashley says, grimacing at the downpour happening outside.

"That's fine, sweetie. Say hi to Quil for me, I have to go now. Bye."

"'Kay, will do. Bye," Ashley says, pushing the 'end' button.

"Aunt Grace says hi and you have permission to take Claire," she says, casting her eyes to the ground.

"Sorry, I didn't catch your name," I smile, extending my hand.

"Ashley," she breathes, reaching for outstretched hand. She flinched when her palm made contact with mine but held it there nonetheless.

"Sorry, my hand is probably freezing. The weather out there is crazy," I say, faking bewilderment.

"Yeah, it's really something out there," she agrees, never taking her eyes off me.

"So, you wanna take me to Claire?" I ask, releasing my grip on her hand.

She nods, and leads me out of the kitchen and into the living room. I spot her sitting on the right side of a couch bundled in a blanket and staring at the television with a dazed look on her face. She almost looks hypnotized, which is ridiculous considering she's watching a talking sponge who looks incredibly stupid with his enormous front two teeth.

"Claire," Ashley whispers into her ear. "Quil is here."

"Qwuillyyy!" Claire screeches and launches herself off the couch and running into my direction. Once she sees me however, she comes to an immediate halt.

Claire smells _good. _Better than Ashley. I'd say little Claire is my singer, her blood calls out to me. Kind of like Edward and Bella. _But _unlike Edward, I don't have the urge to kill the poor thing. She smells good but I don't want to kill her on the spot. Actually, I don't want to kill the kid at all. Although if her blood doesn't rush down from her plump little cheeks soon, I won't be able to contain my inner beast. That would suck. If I killed Claire, I'd have to kill Ashley, and that wouldn't be good. I mean, what good are they to me if they're dead?

"Thas' not my Qwuilly," Claire pouts, folding her arms in a defiant manner. I guess the kid is smarter than I thought.

"Oh, come here, you little booger!" I laugh, faking enthusiasm and cradling her in my arms.

"My Qwuilly is not cowwllld," she says, shivering. "My Qwuilly is vewy warm." At this, Ashley raises her eyebrows in confusion.

I realize now, that if I take Ashley with me as a hostage, no one but Grace will know that I took Claire. Eventually Grace is going to come home and expect to see Claire, but once she sees that her kid is gone, she's going to want answers. She'll call up the real Quil Ateara first, and once she figures out that it wasn't really Quil who took Claire, all hell will break loose. The wolves from both packs will freak out and finally take my game seriously. The Makah reservation will hold an angry grudge against the Quileutes until Claire Young is back home safe and sound. Emily Young will have to be put into a hard situation where she has to pick between her tribe and her soul mate. Everything will make a turn for the worst for everyone else but me. While everyone else is hellbent I will be basking in euphoria, laughing menacingly at the stupidity and the easily swayed humans. I have no idea how Ashley will take the news when she finds out that I am not the real Quil Ateara, but I honestly can't bring myself to care. I didn't do any of this to feel bad for the girl. I do this for Leah and only Leah. Ashley is off my list of hostages.

I do wish I could be there to see the look on Grace's face when Ashley tells her that the Quil she met is pale, cold-skinned, and has red eyes. I can picture the plump woman's eyes growing big as saucers and her mouth drop to the ground. That's a sight I wish I can record, but business awaits me.

"I've been out in the rain, Claire-bear," I say, trying to reason with the kid. "Hey, Ashley. It was nice meeting you, but I gotta get going."

"What? Now?" she asks, sounding disappointed.

"Yeah, I don't want the weather to get any more worse."

"Oh." Yup, clearly disappointed.

"I'll catch you later, yeah?" I smile, winking seductively at her. Her deep blush almost makes me want to bust out laughing, but I restrain myself from blowing my cover. If only the girl knew I didn't find her attractive at all, if only she knew it's only Leah I see.

"Yeah," she breathes.

"You ready to go see uncle Jake and uncle Embry?" I ask the kid, grinning ear to ear. Her hard frown easily lifts into a triumphant smile and bobs her head up and down nodding vigorously.

"I'll take that as a yes," I laugh. She laughs along with me and snuggles into my chest.

I quickly snatch her little blanket and wrap her in it and sprint out the door. Once I hit the forest, I'm running at full speed, laughing out loudly at how easy it was to maneuver my way out of this situation. Dealing with Ashley was a piece of cake. Or should I say, a piece of _Quil. _The girl didn't even bother to watch me leave, she just shut the door without glancing in my direction. Stupid move on her part. If she had watched me leave, she could have informed the Quileutes (because I know they will all be down here to question her) that I had ran into the forest.

Claire is giggling along with me but for a different reason of course. She still thinks I'm taking her to her shape-shifting uncles. And I bet she's enjoying the thrilling speed of my running. Ha, might as well let her have her fun while we're out here. She wont be having much fun once we hit the cave. Unless she likes rocks, which I doubt she does. They all look the same in the cave, all the same color. Yeah, not at all interesting.

"You like surprises, Claire?" I ask.

"Uh huh," she laughs.

"Good." I smirk. I focus on the cave and then we're there. I've stopped running and I'm in the shelter of my special hide-out. The light has gone a bit dim, but that's okay. It's not like there's anywhere for the kid to go. It's either she stays on the rocks or she falls in the water. Her choice. I release her onto the ground and let her explore her surroundings.

"Magic! Lotsa rocks!" she cheers happily, oblivious to the situation she's put in.

"Yup," I say, popping the 'p', "better get use to 'em kid. That's all you're gonna see for a while."

"Where Qwuilly and unca Jay and unca Emwy?" she asks, wrapping herself in her blanket.

"Out there. Clueless. Oblivious. I don't really know, kid," I shrug, leaning against the wall of rocks.

"Whas your name?" she asks.

"Jayden. My name is Jayden," I smirk.

"Like unca Jay?" she asks, her eyes widening.

"No, I'm nothing like that senseless prick! I wouldn't ever pick Bella over Leah," I snarl. Claire backs away, but her eyes are questioning.

"Aunty Leah?" she asks.

"Yes, Leah," I nod. I can feel myself smiling at the mention of her name. Claire takes a hesitant step towards me.

"Aunty Leah is pweety!" she says excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Yeah, she is," I breathe, nodding my head in agreement. "She's beautiful. All mine."

"Nuh uh! Qwuilly tell Claire unca Jay wuvs aunty Leah!" she argues.

"Your Quil is seventeen and whipped by a two-year old, he doesn't have room to speak about love. And Jacob doesn't love Leah, he loves Bella. _I _love Leah."

"You wuv aunty Leah too?" she gasps as her hand flies over her mouth.

I nod. "I loved her first and I'll love her last."

"Unca Jay is gonna mawwy aunty Leah, not you," she huffs, pouting once again.

"Watch me," I growl. "Go to sleepy-bye or whatever, alright kid? You're giving me a headache, how Quil manages to keep up with your relentless questions, I'll never know. Now close your eyes."

* * *

"Nice work," Carter smirks, eyeing the sleeping figure of Claire.

"Yeah, real pain in the ass though. Won't shut up about those stupid wolves," I growl, still annoyed with my last conversation with the two year-old. I know it's ridiculous to be arguing with a two year-old but she knows so much about everything that whatever she says gets to me. The worst part about it is that she doesn't realize that she actually knows things. Stupid kid.

"What are you gonna do with her?" he asks.

"Nothing. Just keep her here until everyone realizes it wasn't really Quil Ateara that picked her up."

I went into my story of how I was on Makah grounds trying to hunt when I just coincidentally came upon Claire and her mother. I explained how I easily slid my way past Ashley and used my charm on her to get her to trust me. He laughed when I told her about how she was furiously blushing when I winked at her.

"So basically you raped her with your eyes?" he asked.

"I guess," I laughed, shrugging my shoulders.

"Nice." He claps in approval.

"Where's Leah?"

"She went to the hospital with the rest of the pack to visit Billy. Turns out the old man isn't doing so hot. I was able to leave the mansion because Edward had to go down there to assist Carlisle with Billy's condition."

"Huh." We didn't hurt the old man too much. We weren't _trying _to kill him.

"What are you gonna feed her?" he asks, watching Claire with a strange look in his eyes.

"Dunno," I shrug. "Didn't think about that part."

"Go hunt. And when you're done, go grab her some food from the market, here,"-he handed me his wallet- "and if you want to keep her calm, I strongly suggest you don't purchase any candy."

"Whatever." I stuffed the wallet in my pocket and focused on the busy streets of Seattle. I will definitely get an easy kill on these streets. I'm glad Carter made me hunt, I would have devoured Claire if I didn't go ten more minutes without a kill.

* * *

**A/N**: Hey everyone! So here we are! We got Jayden back ;) He's an asshole, I know. But that's just how his twisted mind works. Please review =] It's a bit shorter than some of my other chapters, but it was intentional. Less is more, haha. Oh, and I apologize about my "baby talk". I'm not very good at trying to speak like a toddler, lol. But I tried.

Review, review =]]


	26. Red Alert

CH26: Red Alert

**LPOV**

Edward and Carlisle want us to actually go around the Rez looking for anything that might help piece together this ridiculous prophecy they think Billy is trying to remember? Do those leeches not understand how difficult it is to find anything on the Rez? And if we're trying to find some sort of clue or ancient artifact that might help, odds are it's going to be kept somewhere no one will look. Things like that are sacred, why would anyone leave them out in the open? I can only hope Seth and Embry are having better luck than Jacob and I.

Speaking of Jacob, I have absolutely no idea where we stand. Yeah, he apologized. Yeah, he told me he doesn't feel the same about Bella like he once did. Yeah, he told me the reason he's with Bella right now is because he can't stand aside while his best friend is on their death bed. But where does that leave us? I suppose I can forgive him because if I put aside my emotions, I know that if it came down to it, I would stand beside my best friend, my family if they were dying too. It doesn't, however, change the fact that he hurt me and I can't easily overlook that. If he's hurt me once already, who's to say he won't do it again. Even if he was being completely sincere, I can't help the fact that I'm _scared._

Speaking of being scared. What the hell is up with this prophecy? Hypothetically speaking, if I just so happen to be the woman in the prophecy, what the hell am I supposed to do? Edward said that the woman saves the wolves, the tribe, the imprints from a vampire. Well, newsflash – I turn into a furry beast. My wolf form is designed to kill vampires. I already do a lot of saving! It's my duty! What do they expect of me? As much as I find this whole thing preposterous, I can't help the curiosity and fear that this thing might actually play out to be something too big for us to handle. And if Billy is bending over backwards trying to remember this prophecy, it obviously means a great deal. Billy doesn't joke about these things.

"Where should we look first?" Jacob asked, snapping me back to reality.

"No idea," I shrug. "Wanna try your house? Might as well start with the elders."

"Good idea."

We walked in a comfortable silence. He was giving me space and I appreciated that. Even if I understand his reasoning for coming to Bella's rescue once again, I can't erase the memory of him snapping at me like I was nothing back at the hospital a couple of days ago. I knew my being difficult to deal with was taking a toll on Jacob – and I did feel guilty – but this wasn't just about him, I have to be fully content with myself to be able to give myself completely to someone again. And as much as I am frustrated with whatever it is we had going on, I can't ignore the need to hold him and comfort him. I know he needs this especially now with his father in the hospital.

"We can check his room first, then move into the garage. I don't think he'd keep anything important anywhere else," he says, as we enter his house.

"It'd be a lot easier if we knew what we were looking for," I huffed. This was ridiculous.

"Better than researching in the library," he laughed.

"I'm sure we're going to end up looking through old books regardless, Jake," I said, shaking my head in disappointment.

He frowned at that and said nothing as he joined me as we shuffled through Billy's drawers. We spent about 2 hours tirelessly sifting through all of Billy's drawers, checking under his bed, and in his closet. The more we looked, the more frustrated we got. We couldn't find anything that could be useful to us! Nothing. You would think the chief of the tribe would have something ancient lying around in his room, but nope – not Billy.

I was snapped out of my internal rant by Jacob's soft gasp. His back was turned to me, but I could see his pained reflection in the mirror as he held a tiny locket in his hands. I recognized that locket as the necklace his mother, Sarah, used to wear. I knew too well just how it felt to come upon something that your deceased parent used to wear or use. I knew the pain that Jacob was feeling. I knew it too damn well.

I slowly made my way toward him. With each step I took, I kept telling myself I would just offer a couple words of comfort and encouragement. Once I got close enough – against my better judgment – my arms slid around his waist and I hugged him tightly.

"It'll be okay, Jake," I said. I felt him relax and rub my hand with one of his calloused ones.

"I miss her so much. Now dad? I don't wanna lose my old man too, Lee," he voice was strained. I knew he was trying his hardest not to cry.

"He's going to be okay, Jake," I say, and I believed my words. "Billy's a tough guy, don't lose hope."

I released my hold on him and stepped away from him but he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in to a bone-crushing hug.

"I don't wanna lose you either, Lee," he said, tightening his hold on me.

"Jake," I said in a soft tone, pleading that he stop talking. I really don't want to deal with the drama of our relationship right now.

"I know this isn't the time and place to say this," he started, "but I want you to know that I won't ever give up on you. You mean a lot more to me than you think, Leah."

I nodded. I knew this was something he's been wanting to get off his chest. He loosened his grip on me and gave me a cheeky smile that I couldn't help but return.

"Let's get back to work," he says, in a much brighter tone.

Before I could respond, I heard an ear-splitting, urgent howl. I knew it wasn't someone from our pack but I felt like I had to be there. I had an overwhelming urge to run into the forest to help out the other wolf in need – whoever it was. Even if I was in another pack, if any of the other guys were in this much trouble – because this howl sounded anguished and furious – I would be there in a heartbeat to lend a hand. I would say a few smart ass remarks first, but I'd help any way I could.

I looked at Jacob and noticed that he was contemplating something. He snapped his gaze to me and asked, "You feel it too, don't you? It's not just me?"

"Feel what?"

"The need to be there for him, to see if everything is alright."

"Yeah." Maybe this wasn't just me. Maybe this was a wolf thing.

"Should we go check it out?"

"Your call, alpha," I smirked, knowing the nickname would irk him.

"Let's go," he smiled, but rolled his eyes. "Odds are if we feel it, Seth and Embry do too."

* * *

I was floored. We weren't even a mile into the forest when we saw Quil in his wolf form tearing into a tree and clawing at everything in sight. He was livid. He was snarling at everything he attacked. The rest of Sam's pack arrived and tensed.

_Sam, what's going on with him? _Jacob asked.

Jacob's hackles rose and he was instantly in a crouched stance like Sam and the rest of his pack.

_What is it? What's going on, Jake?! _I asked. If all of them are freaking out like this, whatever is going on with Quil could not be a good thing.

_Claire's been kidnapped by a leech._

That did it. I was instantly mirroring the position of the other wolves and snarling. Now I know why Quil is so furious!

I needed to talk to Quil in person, I needed answers now. I shifted and slipped on my clothes, not even caring that the guys were getting a free peek.

"Quil," I said, walking toward him, "You need to phase back and tell me what happened."

He responded by growling at me. I heard the whines of protests from Jake and the others wanting me to back away from Quil. I ignored them. Claire was family and I will find out what happened.

"Quil, Goddammit!" I growled. "I get that she's your imprint, but that's my niece! We're all just as worried as you are! Now phase back and tell me everything that happened or so help me I will wax off all your fur in your sleep!"

He was back in his human form in an instant. Sam and his pack decided to follow Quil's lead and phase back as well. I turned to Jacob, who was still in his wolf form, and said, "Mind calling for Seth and Em? I'm sure they're gonna wanna hear this."

With a quick nod, he threw his head back and let out a loud, urgent, howl for the remainder of our pack, before joining the rest of us in human form.

Seth and Embry arrived in less than 2 minutes immediately phasing back to their human forms to join the rest of us.

It was just like old times – all of us together. Except this time we were both on guard and wary of each other.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I got a call from Grace asking if I could drop Claire off about 10 minutes ago. When I told her I hadn't seen Claire all day, she told me that Ashley – Claire's cousin and babysitter – told her that I stopped by and asked to take over." He was shaking again. On the verge of phasing.

"By then I was starting to panic. I asked Grace to put Ashley on the phone so I could ask her exactly what happened when the guy who was pretending to be me showed up."

He took a deep breath and shut his eyes tight to calm himself.

"She told me that the Quil Ateara that showed up was a white guy – super pale – with red eyes that he claimed to be contacts given to him by his little brother, and super cold skin, which he explained was from the cold weather. I immediately knew she was describing a leech. Now I'm freaking out. What if he's hurting her? She's just a kid!"

"But what would a leech want with a little kid? Why Claire?" Sam asked, the frustration on his face was evident.

"Oh my God," I whispered, in horror as realization set in. All eyes snapped to me. "It's Jayden."

Seven loud growls erupted throughout the forest. Even in their human forms, they sounded like wolves.

"Of course!" Jared snarled. "He said he wouldn't play fair! We should have known – we should have seen this coming!"

"Jake! Embry! Seth!" I exclaimed in a panicked tone, "We need to head to the Cullens. Now!"

"An imprint is missing and you want to head back to the _leeches?"_ Sam snarled.

"She's right," Embry said, ignoring Sam. "Jake, we have to talk to Edward. If Carter is gone, he might prove mine and Leah's theory to be right!"

"What theory?" Jared asked curiously.

"That Carter might still be working with Jayden! If Carter is gone, it's most likely because he's had a helping hand in kidnapping Claire and he can't keep something this big from a mind-reader like Edward."

"I told you that leech was not to be trusted!" Sam growled.

"Talk to the Alice too," Jared said, choosing to ignore Sam's anger. "Since none of the wolves were involved in the kidnapping of Claire, she might be able to see where they went and what happened."

"I'm coming too," Quil said, stepping forward.

"No," Sam said, "You're not. You are to stay in La Push."

"Sam," Quil pleaded, "She's my imprint. I have to find her, the Cullens might be able to help. I _have_ to go."

I felt for Quil. Claire was such an innocent, little girl. She shouldn't have been dragged into this world but because of Quil, she is. I know for a fact he's blaming himself for her disappearance too. We have to find that little girl no matter the circumstances. I don't know if either of the packs can take any more pain. Quil is barely hanging on by a thread, if something happens to Claire, I don't know what will happen to him. I'm_ scared _to know what will become of him. I can't believe I'm even thinking this but I would much rather have Quil blurting out a bunch of inappropriate jokes than have him suffer this emotional tirade.

Same looked like he was about to argue but sighed and nodded. He understood. How could he not? If the roles were reversed, Sam would go through anything and everything to find Emily. It wouldn't be fair at all to keep Quil from doing whatever he can to find his imprint.

"Let's go," Quil said, nodding at our pack. And then the five of us were flying toward the Cullens' territory, praying they'd have some answers.

* * *

**a/n: **Two years. It's been about two years since I last updated this story. I cannot begin to express how sorry I am for making you all wait this long. And if none of you decide to even continue to read this story, I completely understand. I won't make any excuses because none of them will be good enough. But I do promise to never make you guys wait longer than a month from now on. I'm trying to update at least every week or every two weeks. If you still are interested in this story, please review and tell me what you think. Thank you so much for your time and patience!


	27. The Chosen One

**LPOV**

"Edward!" I yelled. "Get your sparkly ass out here!"

"Even in desperate situations you can't afford to be civil with our allies," Seth muttered, shaking his head. I rolled my eyes.

Edward and Jasper were outside in an instant, looking alert.

"What happened?" Jasper asked, sensing our frustration, our anger, and our worry.

"My niece has been kidnapped by leeches," I growled.

"Leah, I can assure you my family didn't – "

"I know _you _guys didn't take her! That obsessive parasite_ Jayden_ took her!"

Jasper looked troubled and Edward looked deep in thought.

"But that's not why you're here," Jasper said.

"No," Jacob agreed. "It's not. We're here to see if Carter is still here."

"He's been gone for a couple of hours now," Jasper frowned.

"He's helping Jayden," Quil snarled. "He took part in kidnapping Claire!"

"Now that I think about it," Edward said slowly with a worried face. "Carter had been hiding his thoughts and thinking about completely random things more than usual earlier today."

"You're right," Jasper agreed. "I noticed that he seemed to be on edge today. I could feel his nervousness. His anticipation. I thought nothing of it at the time…."

"When I find those leeches, I'm gonna tear them to shreds!" Quil was beyond furious.

""How the hell are we supposed to find them if we can't track them?" Embry asked, running his hand through his hair.

That was the question none of us wanted to ask because it was impossible to answer. How do you find a leech that can teleport anywhere he wanted? And how do you track his sidekick that can take away all senses? It's impossible! Jayden is smart, I'll give him that. He now has us all playing right into his trap and little Claire is being used as hostage. Or, God forbid, a snack.

I can't even begin to imagine the whirlwind of emotions Quil is feeling right now. This kind of stuff only happens in the movies. We're here to protect humans from vampires, but we weren't trained for _this._ I want to tear into those leeches as much as Quil does. I can't believe I actually – for a second – bought into Carter's little sympathy act. I'm so stupid! I can't believe I felt even an ounce of sympathy for him! He is a vampire and my sworn enemy, I never should have let my guard down. I bought into his little mind game so easily and now I'm paying for it with my niece being held against her will.

The worst part is Claire has no idea what's going on. She's just a little kid that's probably scared out of her mind. It's not every day a little Native girl spends time with two super pale guys with red eyes. If she's fearful of her life, I have no doubt that Quil can feel it.

I looked over at Quil and saw the pained look on his face. He looked so angry, so hopeless. We all felt that way. How do you go about finding people who don't want to be found?

This is all my fault. I could have prevented any of this from happening. If I would have just handed myself over to Jayden, there wouldn't be any trouble. Why couldn't I have just sucked up my stupid pride and did what was best for my pack, my tribe? Isn't that what I was born to do? To protect my people? I should have, and now it's too late. I'm failing my people. I will never be able to live with myself if anything ever happens to Claire. I'm such a disappointment.

"That's not true, Leah," Edward said softly, looking at me with warm eyes. I noticed that Jasper was giving me an odd look but didn't say anything. He just kept staring at me like he was studying me.

_Not a word to the boys. It's bad enough we're dealing with an imprint gone, if they know what I'm thinking, it'll just add more to the drama._

"You're wrong," he said, shaking his head firmly.

"What is it? What is she thinking?" Jacob asked, looking between me and Edward with suspicious eyes.

_Edward, please. I know I'm a bitch 99-percent of the time to you, but this is me being begging you to not open your goddamn mouth. The pack doesn't need this. We need to focus on finding Claire._

"Nothing," I say, as Edward frowns but nods.

"We have to find her," Quil whispered in a strained voice.

"We'll find her, bro," Seth said, looking determined.

"We'll split up and sniff around the Makah territory just in case," Jacob said, putting a hand on Quil's shoulder.

"The sooner we leave, the better," Embry added, "If there are any traces of his scent anywhere, the rain will wash it away soon."

"We'll help too," Edward said and Jasper nodded.

"We'll look through the forest while your pack heads up toward the Makah reservation," Jasper said.

"Okay," Jacob nodded. "We'll go now."

We phased and ran as a pack toward the Makah reservation, and split up once we hit their territory.

_Seth, you take the east, _Jacob said.

_Got it, _Seth barked.

_Leah, cover the west._

_On it, _I nodded.

_Embry, you take the north._

_Yes, sir!_

_I'll take the south end with Quil, _Jacob said.

_You take the south end, Jake. I'll sniff around Claire's neighborhood in case I missed something earlier._

Every single one of us – with the exception of Quil – stopped dead in our tracks. If we didn't have supernatural reflexes, we would've toppled over each other like dominos.

_What the hell?! Quil? _Jacob broke the silence.

_What? _Quil asked as he trotted impatiently toward our frozen figures.

_We can hear you! _Seth exclaimed.

_Yeah. That's what happens when you're in a pack. Honestly kid, I thought you knew this by now._

_But – _He cut Embry off.

_Did you guys actually think I was gonna stick around in Sam's pack any longer?_

_Well no, but – _He cut me off too.

_Exactly. Now come on, we have to get to work!_

_Right. _Jacob said. _We'll talk about this later. Let's go._

We all split up in our assigned areas and search for a trace of any kind, in silence. We were all lost in our own thoughts. Every time I tried to clear my head to focus on finding a scent, a foot print – _anything – _my mind kept drifting off to random memories of my childhood and it was beginning to irritate the hell out of me because each of those memories were with my father and I did not want to reminisce about my past right now. Not when my baby niece's life was on the line.

_I found a scent, _Jacob said. _I followed it but it disappeared when I reached First Beach._

_It's gone? _Quil whined.

_Yeah. I'm sure this is Jayden's scent. He probably used his stupid gift just to fuck with our heads. There's no other explanation._

_But why lead us to First Beach? _Embry asked.

That one had us all stumped. Why First Beach? Is this a clue? Is he trying to tell us he's keeping Claire somewhere near the Rez?

_Have any of you found anything yet? _Quil asked, sounding desperate.

There was a chorus of quiet 'no's.' As much of an annoyance Quil can be, it was heartbreaking to see him look and sound so broken.

_I have an idea….but you're all gonna think it's stupid. _I _even think it's kind of stupid, _Seth said slowly.

_I'll try anything, kid. Spit it out!_

_When you imprint, you feel a pull toward the person you imprinted on, right? _Seth asked.

_Yes…why?_

_Well maybe if you still feel a pull toward Claire, it will lead you to where she is._

That was actually not as stupid as it sounded. Sam and Jared both said, on numerous occasions, that they felt an uncontrollable pull toward Emily and Kim no matter where they were. They were always able to find them because the magic binding the wolves to their mates was put there so the wolves could always track their mate. If Sam and Jared felt the pull, why not Quil?

_I do feel a pull toward her but it keeps leading me back to La Push, _Quil said, sounding confused.

This, in turn, confused the rest of us because nothing was making sense. First, Jayden's scent disappeared on First Beach and now the steel cables of the imprint was pulling Quil toward La Push. How were we ever going to figure this out before Jayden gets bored and strikes again at another one of us?

_This doesn't make any sense, _Embry said.

_I need to talk to Claire's mom and explain everything to her, _Quil said solemnly. _I'll catch up with you guys later._

_I need to talk to Sam and let him know what's up. The more help we can get, the better, _Jacob said, as Quil phased out.

_Good idea. I'm the fastest and can cover more ground, so I'll keep looking, _I said. _Take Embry with you just in case you need backup._

_And I'll talk to the Cullens and explain what's up, _Seth said.

Once they all phased back, I let my mind wander freely, letting it take me back to the memories shared with my dad. The first memory I was brought back to was when I first performed in a Pow Wow and how proud my dad was when I danced in tune with the beat of the drum. I will never forget how much pride was shown on my dad's face as I let the spirits of my ancestors move me through the dances. The next memory was of me inviting Sam over as my official boyfriend, as hard as he tried to look happy, I could see the strain behind his eyes of seeing me grow up and mature into a young woman. But I would always be his little girl, he and I both knew that. Sam knew that.

The memories were pouring out from every direction, drowning me in both happiness and sorrow. I couldn't control them and put my thoughts in check – they just kept coming and I didn't know why it was so hard for me to control myself. I was confused as hell, I didn't know why I had the sudden need to relive every memory I had with my dad. It was like my mind was searching something, like there was something hidden in my past that I needed to see. The memories became a whirlwind, spiraling out of control – and then finally it stopped.

_It stopped on a scene with me, my dad, Billy, and Quil Jr. I'd say I was about 7 or 8 at the time because Quil's dad was still alive in this memory. My dad had decided to take me fishing with the boys because I always wanted to catch a fish and bring it home for dinner proudly like my dad always did. The others were wary of bringing me along because apparently fishing was dangerous. Please. My dad had brought a box with us, but no matter how many times I asked, none of them would answer me and tell me what was inside. They were so careful with it, like whatever was inside was the most sacred thing on this earth._

_I gave up trying to convince them to let me see inside the box – they were stubborn men, I knew it was useless. The fishing area we drove to was in a private location away from the Rez. I suppose if people really tried to look for it, they'd find it. Other than that, the only people that knew of this private space were the elders, and now me. The fishing area had a cabin that was tightly secured. The only person with keys to the place was Billy. I went inside with them and noticed the place was spotless and filled with ancient-looking artifacts that most likely belonged to our ancestors. I was in awe – there were so many beautiful tribal artifacts that looked centuries old. I watched as dad, Billy, and Quil Jr., carefully lifted the rug from the wooden floors and stuck a key in the ground and opened it. My jaw hung open as I realized this place had a safe that was built in the ground – it was too surreal. Billy carefully laid the mystery box into the space underground and shut it, locked it, and pulled the rug over it again to cover its existence. _

"_I pray to Taha Aki that you are not chosen," my dad whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. _

_I wrapped my little arms around him to return the hug but was confused more than ever! I looked to Billy and Quil Jr. and saw them give me sad smiles - _

I immediately came to a stop. My ears were flat against my skull and my breathing had become ragged. It couldn't be. It didn't make sense before but now…. With everything that's happened so far, why the hell not? We thought all of our Tribe's legends were bullshit and look where that got us?

I turned and ran as fast as I could to the hidden cabin that I haven't visited in years. I have to find that box. I need to know what's inside. I have to know what my father meant when he silently prayed that I wasn't the chosen one.

It was a miracle that I even knew where I was going. It's been so long – it's a wonder I still knew my way to the cabin. But I was and I wouldn't dare question my ability to remember my way around Washington like some damn GPS system.

When I arrived, everything looked different. Older. Like no one's been here for years. Like it was deserted. I phased back and threw my clothes on quickly. I turned the knob but it wouldn't budge. I cursed myself when I realized I didn't have Billy's key with me.

"Just my goddamn luck," I hissed to no one in particular.

"Maybe there's an extra key lying around her somewhere," I said to myself, trying to be optimistic.

I checked under the doormat, behind the bushes, and even dug little holes in the ground. No such luck. I suppose I didn't really expect to find the keys to a cabin full of sacred tribal things lying around for anyone to get a hold of.

I had to get inside though and there was only one way in. I broke through the window. I ignored the sharp glass that cut my skin and went for the rug in the front room. I lifted it with ease and saw the compartment. Thus, rising yet another issue. I didn't have a key to the damn compartment either.

"Fuck my life," I growled.

I looked around the cabin and found a hammer lying in the kitchen – this was definitely a dudes place, who just keeps a hammer in the kitchen? I immediately started banging the wooden floor with the hammer, prying it apart, ripping a hole in the ground. I saw it then. The box. It was dusty and so old. I carefully lifted it and blew the dust off. With shaky hands, I lifted the lid and grasped the little journal-looking book that was inside. There was ancient Quileute writing inscribed on the cover – oh how I wish I would have taken a Quileute language course in high school! I opened the book and exhaled in relief when I saw the writing was in English – this I could work with.

I started skimming through the pages, reading a couple of things that I already knew of. Then I came across the section of the journal where, whoever wrote in this, started to record his dreams. I read through some of them and felt like I was actually there, living it. They were so real. This person, whoever they were, was so descriptive and so passionate. The very last dream immediately caught my full attention. It was titled "The Chosen One."

_She will be the very first female shifter. A protector of her tribe, she will go to great lengths to _fight for the ones she loves. With eyes the color of the grey clouds, she will pull you in with her_ compassion. Suffering from pain and the loss of family and a lover, her wisdom will carry her throughout life as a hero and leader. Her beauty, although extravagant beyond belief, will be a burden upon her. Eyelashes like feather dusters and lips like morphine, her beauty and her strength will attract the attention of the true alpha and the vampire. For the love of her tribe, for the love of her family, for the love of her pack, and for the love of the true alpha, she will sacrifice herself for the safety of everyone._

"Oh my God," I breathed. Tears were spilling out of my eyes and goose bumps were pricking all around my arms. "No…."

* * *

**a/n**: Hey everyone! =) What'd you all think of this chapter? I was actually really excited to write this chapter, it's gonna start to get intense! ;) Please, please, please, review! Lemme know what you think! =)


	28. A Heartbreak Warfare

**LPOV**

It couldn't be. I _can't_ be the chosen one. But everything written in the damn journal points back to me. Is this what Billy is trying so hard to remember? No, it can't be. He's known of this prophecy for a long time, he just didn't know who the chosen one would be. Edward had said Billy was trying to remember a conversation he had with his own father, something about this prophecy. But what? What more could possibly be added to this?

For once, I thank the spirits for listening to my prayers of keeping the boys too occupied to phase. I don't think I can hide this big of a thing from the pack even if I wanted to. Jacob and I tried so hard to find something – _anything_ – that might clue us in on whatever it is Billy is stressing about, and I've known where it was all along. I couldn't just leave the book lying there. I had to read every entry written in case there is anything else that I needed to know. So I brought it with me, and locked it firmly between my razor sharp teeth as I ran through the forest.

Taha Aki – who I figured was the owner of this book – said I would save everyone.

_But at what expense? My life? _I thought aloud.

Am I willing to sacrifice myself for my family? _Yes, hands down. No questions asked._

My pack? _In a heartbeat._

The imprints? _Unfortunately._

My tribe? _Yes._

The passage in the journal said I would experience pain and loss of family and a lover. The lover obviously meant Sam, but family? I haven't lost anyone yet. Unless by family, he meant, Emily, then in that case this guy knew about how my whole life would play out. And if Taha Aki is already proving to know so much about the future and the next generation of wolves, who am I to question him? So far he hasn't been wrong about anything.

Then there's Jacob and Jayden. Taha Aki even knew about them! Apparently I draw them both in and that my "love" for the "true alpha" will give me strength I need to protect and do exactly what I was born to do. My whole existence is to protect.

_But am I ready to die? _

I whined at the thought because no, I'm not ready to die. I don't want to die. I'll sometimes talk about randomly killing myself, but I don't really mean it. I'm so much stronger than that, and even though my life might suck now, I have high hopes that it will at least get a little better. I can't die, I don't want to die. There is so much I haven't done in this world, so many places I still haven't seen. And so many people I would miss.

As much as my mom infuriates me, she's still my mother and I love her so so much. I will never forgive her for jumping into bed with Charlie so quickly after dad's death, but someday I'll learn how to tolerate her without wanting to lash out at her. I have years and years of great memories with her that I won't ever forget. And Seth. God, Seth! I can't even begin to imagine how pain he'll be in if he loses another family member. Sure, I tease him all the time, but it's all in good fun. I love brother more than anything and would give anything just to see him smile. For years now, he's been like a rock, a safety base for me, if you will. I can't imagine a life without him – even in death.

Then there's the pack. I can't help the whimper that escapes my large jaws at the thought of leaving without giving Jared a proper goodbye. I spent so much time laughing and joking around with Jared in the past, and to leave so abruptly after mending our friendship….that kills me. I worked so hard to become a bitch that I forgot those who actually still cared about me. I wish I could have realized I still had a good friend.

Embry, the guy was such a sweetheart, though I'll never admit it to his face. He has always been someone I loved to hang out with because he was so real. I could always count on Embry to have an intelligent conversation with and be myself. He was so accepting and I regret every negative thing I have ever said to him that has cut him deeply. Why was I such a bitch to him when he was nothing but kind to me?

Quil. Growing up, I saw him all the time because our dads were always together. He became a constant in my life, always there. Even when it seemed like the whole male population of La Push followed Sam around like loyal servants, Quil was there to stand by me. Although I could see the sad looks he would give when he saw Jacob and Embry with Sam, he completely refused to join the bandwagon. I appreciated having him around so much at the time. So much that it left me so hurt and betrayed when one day I saw him in Sam's crew. If only I knew at the time….

Paul, oh Paul Lahote. As much of an asshole as he is, I can't deny that he and I put on quite the comedy act. He may come off as the world's biggest asshole, but I know that is definitely not the case. He is one of the most loyal people I know. We always got into it, especially during my first few weeks of phasing. I was convinced he completely despised me. That is until he nearly phased when he saw some guy slip something into a drink and tried to hand it to me. Paul saved me from getting drugged by some horny teenager, I mean, I don't know if the drug would even work with my metabolism, but I was still grateful and shocked. It frustrates me that it's taken me this long to realize the reason we clash so much is because we're so alike. And I'm gonna miss that.

Then there's Sam and Jacob. As hard as I try to, I can't get myself to seriously hate Sam. The love we shared, all our memories, will always be special to me and I won't ever forget them. He's just that one person that will always have an impact on you because the mark they left on your heart was huge. The anger I feel toward him suddenly doesn't seem so suffocating anymore, not when I have death to deal with. Although he was taken from me, Sam was always going to be a part of my life. Do I still love him? Yes, and a part of me knows I always will. Am I still in love with him? No, not since Jacob. Jacob is an entirely different story from Sam. With Jacob I'm able to feel things I never thought I'd feel in my life. He makes me feel so alive without even trying and I love that! I love it because it's so natural, not forced. He's delicate with me yet he tells me straight up when I'm being a pain in the ass. Everything just falls into place and feels right when I'm with him. Even with all the fucked up things going on in, just being in his arms puts me at ease. And now he's going to be taken from me because of this stupid prophecy.

But I can't really call it stupid, can I? It's here for a reason, and I don't want anyone else potentially getting hurt or killed because of me. Edward was wrong. Everything is my fault. If I would have just agreed to let Jayden take me, no one would be in this awful situation. Man, I might even miss the Cullens when I die – they've been nothing but nice to us, even when we act like total jackasses. I hate leeches with a passion, but the Cullens have been our allies, and as painful as it is for me to admit this, I wouldn't want Jayden bringing them into his little game either. So the only solution is for me to somehow find Jayden and Carter and tell them the game's over.

I surrender.

_What the hell are you thinking, Leah?! _I heard the angry and hurt tone of Quil's voice booming in my head, scaring the living daylights out of me.

_Quil?Shit! How much did you hear? _Fuck this is not good. None of the guys were supposed to know about any of this!

_Enough to know you're trying to get yourself killed! _Quil growled. He was quite a distance away, a few feet from the Cullen's mansion.

_Listen – _

_Are you insane, Leah?! No! I'm not gonna let you do it! You are not going to die! _He was whining now and I was touched at how much he cared about me.

_You don't understand –_

_I don't want to understand! You're not going anywhere, none of us will let you!_

_Quil – _

_Leah, please! I know you love Claire, but we'll find her some other way. We can't lose you to him too, Lee….you're our sister, our family, part of our pack…._

_Quil, _I said slowly, trying to ignore the guilt that was slowly eating at me, _I'm really, really, sorry about this. As your beta, I command that you never speak of this again._

I felt sick to my stomach. I can't believe I just did that. I felt the power of the command surge through his body. His whines of protest were like blows to the face. I felt so horrible abusing my power like this. I didn't deserve this position.

_Don't give up, Lee. Fight, goddamn it, you can't die!_

I slowed to a stop when I saw his figure. I phased back and threw on my clothes, and jogged up to the mansion – journal in hand – without a second look at him. I walked up the steps and brought a shaky hand to the knob and turned.

I walked into the sparkling clean mansion that reeked of vampires and found Edward alone in the living room with a stern look cast upon his face. His eyes met mine and he gestured for me to sit right next to me. And I did.

"I came to show you something," I said in a quiet voice. I lifted the journal into view and pushed it to him.

"I don't want it."

I whipped my head around to face him and narrowed my eyes. "Why not? This could help us figure out what we need to know!"

"No, Leah," he said, shaking his head. "It seems like you've figured out what you're going to do on your own."

My eyes went wide. How the…?

"Quil was only a few feet from my house. I could hear every single one of your thoughts through him. Do you have any idea how reckless you're being, Leah?"

Oh. Right! How could I forget about Edward being able to hear thoughts from a mile away? At least I could order Quil not to mention a word, but Edward? Not so much.

"It's for the best…"

"You're wrong. You can't put yourself in that kind of danger. Do you know what that will do to your pack? Sam's pack? Your _family?"_

I wanted to get angry. Really, I did. But I just couldn't find myself to see any reasoning to get angry. Not when Edward was actually making sense. I already know it's going to kill my pack and my family, but it has to be done. I know it, Taha Aki knows it, and he knows it."

"You're wrong. Again."

"Stop that!" I growled. "Read the damn journal and you'll see for yourself that I'm destined for this."

"We're not going to let you get yourself killed." His words held so much conviction, so much sincerity, that I almost smiled. Almost.

"Just read the damn journal," I sighed, resting my head in my hands. Today has been way too long.

"We'll read it together."

"What?" I asked flatly.

"Together. I'm sure together we can figure a few things out here and there. We'll find a way around this prophecy. What do you say?" he sounded hopeful and even gave me that crooked grin that made Bella swoon so much. Speaking of Bella….

"Rosalie is with her now, she'll be fine," he smiled. "So how 'bout it?"

"Fine, whatever."

**a/n**: Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed the chapter =) I noticed that my chapters get lots of views, but barely any reviews. I don't know whether this means that my story simply isn't good or that people are just reading and not reviewing. Please, just let me know because I don't want to keep continuing a story if people aren't interested anymore. But those of you who review, you have no idea how happy it makes me to read what you have to say. Seriously, it makes my day! =]


	29. Not Part of the Plan

**LPOV**

What a disappointing life I have. Maybe the reason I've been through so much crap, suffered so much pain, and dealt with such bad cards, is because I was always meant to die anyway. Why give the girl who is destined to give up her life happiness, right? Fuck you, spirits.

Why'd it have to be me? What's so special about me? Why out of all of the girls on the Rez, did I have to be the one to phase and be chosen to fulfill this prophecy? Why is it always me?

I know now really isn't the time for self-pity but after spending practically 3 days cooped up in a room with a mind-reading vampire who is trying to help you find any cracks in the prophecy to prevent your death, I really feel like I deserve to feel at least some sympathy for my pitiful life.

2 days. _2 days _I spent with Edward Cullen looking for anything that could potentially steer me away from death. We found no such thing. But we did find that there is a page somewhere in the middle of the journal that's been ripped out. That could mean something huge, or that could simply mean nothing at all. For all I know, Taha Aki could have just ripped the page out because he was furious with his calligraphy.

I tried my absolute hardest to avoid Jacob, Seth, Embry and Quil. I distanced myself from my pack and I knew they were taking notice of it. Every time Jacob had us run patrols, I volunteered to run with Quil because he was the only one who knew what I was hiding. And I know the guys were starting to realize that Quil knew something was up.

Speaking of Quil….I could barely look him in the eye when Jacob called a pack meeting. He definitely let me know how unfair I was being once we were alone.

"You can't keep this from them forever, Leah," he would say.

And I always gave him the same answer every time, "Don't worry about it, Quil."

"I'm going to find a way to tell them. I swear I will."

For three days I had to deal with this insufferable guilt. For three days I had to deal with knowing my life has been planned out since before my parents were even born. For three days Claire has been missing and it's been slowly killing Quil day by day. For three days, both packs have been restless, desperate to find any sign of Jayden, Carter, and Claire.

This leads me to where I am now, on top of the cliffs looking over at the calm sea below me.

"Where are you, Claire-bear?" I whispered.

If Claire was dead, how would I ever be able to live with myself? Would Quil be able to even look at me again? What about Claire's mom? Her babysitter? I bet she's feeling especially guilty for being fooled so easily by a leech.

I figured if I stood anywhere near the ocean, an answer would jump at me. Quil said he felt the tugging of the imprint pulling him toward the beach. But why? Carter told me about his and Jayden's little hideout, but how was I supposed to find an underwater cave? And what if that was just his way of fooling me into my own death? I wouldn't put it past him to do something like that.

But since Claire's life is in danger, it's worth the risk to see if the bastard was telling me the truth. Only one way to find out.

I stripped off my shorts and tank top and threw them against a rock. And then I smelt it. Vampire. A low growl erupted in my chest and I turned around, darting my eyes everywhere trying to find it.

"Looking for me?" A familiar voice asked, stepping out of the bushes.

"_You!"_ I growled. "I'm going to kill you! Where is my niece?!" I ran at him at full speed but stopped in my tracks when everything turned black.

"Don't be a little bitch and hide behind your powers, leech," I growled. "Fight me!"

"No."

"Where is Claire?"

"She's safe," he said in a low voice.

"Where. Is. She." I said through gritted teeth.

He moved in front of me and caressed my cheek. My nose literally felt like it was burning because of how strong his stench was. I moved to hit him but he caught my hand and moved behind me.

"Do you want me to take you to her?" he whispered into my ear.

"Yes," I said. I could feel the tears already streaming down my face. This was it. My destiny awaits.

"Don't cry, Leah." He sounded strange, like he was struggling with his words. I noticed he also wasn't as cocky as he usually was. He was quieter, more stoic.

I heard another pair of footsteps come near me and the burning in my nose intensified.

"Leah," the voice breathed. That voice sent shivers down my spine and made the hairs on my neck stand.

Jayden.

"Just do what you have to do," I said through tears. "Just please let Claire go."

"Don't cry sweetheart," he cooed, cupping my cheek. "I promise I'll let Claire go."

I fought the urge to gag when he touched me. I had to put up with whatever bullshit this guy was going to throw at me as long as my baby niece is safe, as well as the rest of the ones I love.

"Ok."

His icy hand grabbed hold of mine and then I felt like I was floating, like I was weightless. I landed on something cold, rough, and hard. My vision slowly cleared and I saw that I was in what looked to be a cave. And if I stepped over the edge, I'd be swimming in deep water.

"Aunty Leah!" Claire screamed in delight.

I turned and saw her little figure running at me with the biggest smile stretched across her face and her arms outstretched for me.

"Claire-bear!" I cried, lifting her up into my arms and hugging her closely. I laughed through tears when I saw that she didn't have a single scratch on her.

"Why are you cwying, aunty Leah?" she asked, wiping my tears away.

"I just missed you so much, kid," I smiled. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Yes!"she bounced. "I miss momma, Qwuilly, unca Jay, unca Emwy, unca Sed, unca Sammy, unca Pawl, unca Jawed, and auny Em!"

"You're gonna see them all real soon, honey," I smiled, kissing her head lightly.

"Awn't you coming with me, aunty Leah?" she asked sadly.

"No baby, I'm gonna stay here with…."

"With Cawtew and Jay?"

"Yes."

"Will you come back home?" she asked, hopeful.

"Of course," I said, fighting back tears.

"That's enough, Claire. Let your aunty Leah rest, she's really tired, okay?" Carter said, smiling warmly at her. I scowled at him and fought the urge to phase and tear him to shreds.

I watched as Claire went and sat on a large rock and started coloring in a coloring book of all things. How the heck did she get that?

"I have to say, you're great with children," Jayden said, casually taking a seat next to me. I stiffened.

"Please make sure she's out of the room when you kill me," I said flatly.

"_Kill you?"_ he repeated, in a questioning tone.

"That's why I'm here. To exchange my life for hers."

"My intention isn't to kill you, Leah," he said, running a finger down the length of my arm.

"Then what the hell are you going to do with me?" I growled.

"You'll find out soon, sweetheart," he smiled. He tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear and stared directly into my eyes.

I blinked and noticed something was off. My nose wasn't burning anymore! I couldn't smell him or Carter anymore, just Claire. What the hell?

"Jay," Carter called in a monotone voice, "She's here."

"Fantastic," Jayden smirked, "Leah, I want you to meet a friend of mine."

A girl, who looked no older than 18 walked into view. Another leech. Fan-fucking-tastic.

But why did this girl look so familiar?

"Demetria," Jayden grinned, "Meet Leah. Leah, meet Demetria."

"Pleasure to meet you, Leah," the leech smiled.

"Can't say I feel the same for you," I snarled, standing to tower over her petite 5'3" frame.

"Still feisty as ever, I see," the leech laughed a tinkling laugh that made me want to rip my hair out. Or hers.

"I know, isn't it great?" Jayden grinned. I scowled at him.

"Very," Demetria said sarcastically. "So are we gonna get down to business or what?"

"Business? What the fuck is she talking about?" I asked Carter, but when I saw that he wouldn't even look at me, I turned my pleading eyes to Jayden.

"Demetria has a gift," Jayden said.

"Which is?"

"I can take away memories and replace them with whatever I want," Demetria said, examining her nails casually as she spoke.

"What does this have to do with business? Who's memory are you going to take away?"

"Is that a serious question?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"Yes, it's a serious question, _leech! _Oh! You're going to make Claire forget about everything."

"Wow, Jay, you sure now how to pick 'em," Demetria said in a snarky tone, rolling her eyes.

Jayden ignored her and faced me with a serious face. "Sweetheart, we're not taking away Claire's. We're taking away yours."

**a/n**: So I've been reading my reviews for last chapter, and I have to say – they all made my week a little more bearable! Seriously, I can't thank you all enough for reading and reviewing. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter =)


	30. Clarity

**LPOV**

It's been four days since I willingly let Jayden keep me in his stupid, creepy ass cave.

Four. Fucking. Days.

The fact that I willingly put myself in this position is bad enough. But what's worse is he still hasn't let Clair go back home like he promised he would. Then again, I'm a massive moron for even believing that he would actually keep his word. Now I'm here with Claire and three blood sucking devils that each have freaky powers that could easily make me harmless.

Hypothetically speaking, if I phased right now and tried to lunge for any of them, they would be able to piece themselves back together. I didn't have access to matches or a lighter so there is no way I could actually kill them, kill them.

Jayden can teleport his ass out of here.

Carter can diffuse all of my senses.

And Demetria – the evil bitch – can take my memories away.

There is also the fact that if I even tried to phase, they'd kill Claire. So I'm pretty much hopeless. The best I can do now is to keep Claire away from them and hope that they all leave me alone to give me enough time to phase and inform the guys of my whereabouts.

Now that I know Jayden has no intention of killing me, the last place I wanna be is stuck in this goddamn cave with him and his minions.

"Why do you insist on scowling all the time? You're a beautiful, you should smile and flaunt it," Jayden smiled. He gave me a look as if he were admiring me.

I scoffed. "Give me one goddamn reason why I should be smiling, leech!"

His smile didn't falter. "Well Claire's alive, isn't she?"

"She's supposed to be home by now!" I snarled, getting to my feet. "You said you would bring her back home! But of course you would go back on your word. I don't know why I even believed you for a second, you sick fucking prick!"

"I gave you my word," he said, frowning. "And I intend to keep it."

"Then why the fuck is she still here? How long are you planning to keep her here? She's only three! Everyone is looking for her!"

"Everyone's looking for you, too." He shrugged, looking bored. "Even the Cullens."

My thoughts immediately went to my pack. You know that phrase, _you don't know what you have until it's gone? _That basically sums up how much I took the people in my life for granted. God, I miss Seth so freaking much. I miss his stupid optimism. I miss how he would always stand by me through anything and everything. I miss how he was the only one who understood how much I hid from the rest of the world and never once judged me. I miss the pack. Both of packs. At least with the boys, I felt safe. There is a sense of normalcy with the guys. Even through our jackass behavior, there was always warmth with them.

And I missed Jacob. Like, _really bad._ I miss the way he would look at me with those eyes of his and how secure I felt in his arms. Even with my hot body temperature, he never failed to make me feel all warm and fuzzy like those cheesy girls in romance novels. I miss all the ways he would touch me. The ray of light that naturally followed him everywhere, even in the darkest of places. His voice. Those lips on mine. How sure of himself when he told me he wanted _me._

I care so incredibly much about Jacob. I didn't realize just how deep my feelings for him ran. And now that I do, I'm never going to get the chance to ever tell him.

I held back a sob that threatened to escape my lips. I will _not _let Jayden see how painful this is for me.

"That doesn't matter," I said in a tight voice. "What matters is getting Claire home. She needs to be back with her family."

"You amaze me with your compassion," he said in a soft tone, cocking his head to the side.

"You amaze me with how sick you are."

He smirked. "Relax, Leah. Claire's going home today."

"Seriously?" I asked in a flat voice.

"Seriously," he nodded. "If you don't believe me, I'll bring you with me."

"Done." I'd jump at any chance to get the hell out of this place.

"You can come under one condition," he said, getting up to stand in front of me.

"What?" I asked through gritted teeth. Of course he wasn't going to make this an easy escape.

"You don't make any move of escaping. If you do, the deal will be off and we'll be right back in this cave in the blink of an eye."

I glared at him.

"Are we clear?" he asked, brushing the hair out of my face. I smacked his hand away from me furiously.

"I will always love how feisty you are," he laughed, before stepping away and disappearing out of the cave.

I huffed roughly and plopped myself on the cold, hard surface next to a sleeping Claire. I rubbed her little back soothingly and pushed the hairs out of her face, tucking them behind her ear.

"We're gonna getcha out of here soon, Claire-bear," I whispered softly.

**JPOV**

I couldn't focus to save my life. I was constantly on edge, I was being a low-key douchebag to the guys, and to add to my anxiety, she hasn't even phased once to at least let me know that she was okay. So naturally I'm freaking the fuck out. Both packs and the Cullens circled the forest searching for her scent and finally after 3 hours, we found her scent – which was still fresh – along with her clothes and the godforsaken smell of a leech.

Everyone instantly started freaking out. We knew Jayden's scent, so he was automatically crossed off our list of potential Leah-attackers. None of us had any idea who this leech was or where to find him. It's safe to say both packs went ballistic. First Claire, now Leah. And it's even more surprising because if Leah were to face a leech, she would have phased on the spot to give herself an advantage. But by the looks of it, it's like Leah didn't even try to phase. Her clothes were thrown against a rock, but that's about it. I know she didn't cliff dive because there is no way she would have just left her shit up here, not when half her wardrobe was destroyed from phasing.

"Jake," Quil said, in a pained voice. He was sweating and looked in physical pain.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked in a gruff voice.

Leah's been gone for four days and no one's heard anything from her. And Claire's been gone even longer. Each day that passed would kill Quil slowly. I've never seen him so miserable in all my years growing up with him.

"Lee- " he choked out, before falling to his knees.

"Leah? What about her? Do you know something?" I asked hurriedly, falling to my knees beside Quil. He wouldn't lift his head up to face me, he just nodded.

"Tell us where she is!" Seth yelled. Seth looked just as bad as Quil. Not only did he lose his father, but his mother was shacking up with his dad's best friend, his cousin was kidnapped by a couple of psychotic leeches, and now his sister is missing.

Quil opened his mouth to speak but doubled over, bowing lower to the ground. He was breathing heavily and fighting to get back up.

"You okay, man?" I asked, helping him up to his feet.

"Lee- " he choked out again, before groaning and shutting his eyes tightly.

"Don't talk. I'll talk and you'll just nod or something, okay?" I said, giving him a confused look. I knew Quil was in a horrible state right now but he's never looked so physically….damaged.

"You know where Leah is?" Seth asked in a hopeful tone.

Quil nodded.

"Can you take us there?" I asked.

He shook his head no.

"How do you know where she is?" Embry asked, looking over at him curiously.

"Lee –"

"She phased?" I asked, cutting him completely off.

He shook his head no.

"Then how the hell do you know?" I asked, already losing my patience.

He looked in pain again so Embry stepped in and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Relax. I'll handle this one."

"Fine," I huffed, crossing my arms and stepping aside.

"So let me get this straight," Embry started, looking Quil in the eyes. "You know from Leah where she is, but she hasn't phased since she's been missing."

Quil nodded.

"So she told you in person?" Embry asked.

No.

"Okay. So she didn't tell you in person and she hasn't phased since she's gone missing."

A nod.

"Have you spoken to her at all lately?"

He nodded weakly and held up 4 fingers.

"Four minutes ago?" I roared.

He shook his head at me and glared.

"Four hours ago?" Seth asked.

Another no.

"Four days ago?" I asked.

He started to nod frantically with wide eyes.

"So you guys talked before she disappeared?" Embry asked.

Another nod.

"What did she say?"

Quil was on his knees again. His body was leaning forward like we do as wolves. He was struggling to get up but he couldn't, it was like he was being pulled to the ground.

"Jake," Embry said slowly. "I think – I think Leah ordered him not to say anything."

"What?" Seth exclaimed angrily. "Leah despises the command, she wouldn't abuse her power like that."

I studied Quil's position and realized that Embry could very well be right. I mean, I know Leah absolutely hates having her free-will taken away, but the way Quil's body is lowered to the ground is almost like how a wolf would when having to submit to an order.

"Sorry, Seth, but I think Embry is right," I said, clapping Seth on the back.

Quil didn't look up to face us when he spoke in a rough voice: "Jake. Order me to tell you."

My eyes widened slightly as I took in his words. I've never used the alpha command because I hate it. But now I really have no choice. I looked to Embry and Seth and got nods of agreement from both of them. That's all the confirmation I needed.

"Quil, you will tell me what Leah has forbidden you to say," I said in a voice that sounded too authoritative and stern.

Quil let out a sigh of relief and bounced back up with a hard frown.

"She's completely insane!" he blurted out. "She found this journal that belongs to Taha Aki in a cabin where our folks used to go fishing all the time. This book had a lot of Taha Aki's dreams recorded in it. One of the dreams said that she was the chosen one. That she would have to save the tribe, the imprints, her people, and her lover. I know it sounds far-fetched but I'm telling you, this dream Taha Aki had was of her. His description of Leah was right on point!"

"The prophecy," Embry breathed. "We were right! Leah is the girl in the prophecy Billy was thinking about! We have to tell Edward and Carlisle!"

"Another thing," Quil said gravely. "It's written in the journal that she will sacrifice herself. That's what she's doing. She remembered Carter telling her of Jayden's hideout and decided to go find it herself. Guys, she willingly walked into their arms to save Claire and to keep anything else from happening to anyone else."

He took a deep breath and looked away. "She doesn't want to die, but she blames herself for all of this so she's trying to make it right. That INSANE FUCKING IDIOT!"

My jaw was on the ground, as was Embry's and Seth's. So that's where she's been all this time? With the leeches that were making our lives a living hell? All because of some dream that Taha Aki had? She's just going to willingly kill herself because it said so in a fucking journal?

"Where is the book?" Embry asked, composing himself again.

"Edward has it. I heard their conversation. She was telling him about the prophecy and they both spent a long time trying to find a loophole so she doesn't have to die."

"My sister is not going to die," Seth growled. I could see that he was trying his hardest to hold back the angry, hot tears that were threatening to fall.

"Damn straight," Quil nodded. "We're going to find her."

A loud, urgent howl broke through the forest silenced the four of us. Hoping the other pack found something useful that could lead us to Leah and Claire, the four of us phased on the spot and broke into running at full speed toward the call of the howl.

We found the rest of Sam's pack already in a line, with their hackles raised. We joined them and found Carter standing in front of us looking bored. His scent was overwhelming and it triggered something in my mind.

_His scent! It's the one on the cliffs with Leah's! _I growled.

"Easy, Jacob. One paw out of line from any of you and you can kiss your senses goodbye."

I snarled and bared my teeth at him but stayed in place nonetheless.

"I will let each of you keep your senses under one condition: you don't make any movements to attack once Jayden appears."

Sam nodded curtly and Carter scoffed.

_But why is he revealing his scent now? And why would he do so on the cliffs too? _Embry asked.

_The blood-sucker probably forgot to hide it, _I said.

_Doubt it. He's too smart to forget something like that, _Embry said.

_Why would he do it intentionally? _Seth asked.

_He has something planned, _Embry and I said, narrowing our eyes at Carter.

Then out of nowhere, a girl who looked no older than us, stepped out from behind a tree and grinned at us. She would've looked nice, if it weren't for her beady red eyes. Leech.

"Puppies!" she squealed, smiling widely. "I love dogs!"

I heard a snarl from Paul at her comment. It only made her smile stretch further.

"I'd be a little more cautious, Demetria," Carter said, rolling his eyes at her. "They could easily rip you apart."

There was a satisfied huff from Paul.

Demetria. Why did that name sound so familiar?

"Guys?" My head ears perked up from my skull at the beautiful sound of Leah's voice. Then when I saw her step out from behind the same tree Demetria did with Claire on her hip, I nearly collapsed. I missed her so much. I watched her smile weakly at all of us as he came into the clearing. My breath caught at how radiant she looked even in a saddened state.

_Can you not think about how "radiant" my sister looks in front of me? Kind of weird, _Seth said.

_My bad, kid. Couldn't help it._

There was relief from all of the wolves as she stepped in front us all next to Carter, who was studying us.

"Remember," he said in a warning tone. "One paw out of line and bye-bye senses."

So we stayed locked in place. He grabbed Claire from Leah and placed her on his hip. He whispered something into her ear and she grinned and nodded enthusiastically. He smirked at her and set her down, nodding at us, "Go on, Claire. Quil is over there."

Quil was already phased back and waiting for her with open arms and the biggest smile on his face. Once she was in his arms, he gave a satisfied and relieved sigh. I watched Leah as she watched Quil embrace Claire and saw her face smile lift into a small smile. But it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Touch her again and I swear I'll make you beg for death," Quil spat, looking at Carter and Demetria with hateful eyes.

"For the record, I never touched her," Demetria said sweetly. "I'd rather touch you."

Leah rolled her eyes and scoffed, which earned a glare from Demetria. Quil growled at her menacingly, which in turn received a smirk from Demetria.

"Are all of as feisty as Leah?" she asked.

"Enough, Demetria," a cold voice said. Jayden appeared in the clearing and stood next to Carter, giving Demetria an amused look.

I bared my teeth at Jayden because he was the reason why we were all in this mess. Sam growled lowly at him.

_Why is Leah just standing there? _Sam asked.

_I was wondering the same thing. Hey, there's something you should know, _I said.

_Can it wait? I want to tear these leeches apart and get Leah and Claire to safety._

_No. It can't wait, _I said firmly. I replayed the events that happened before we heard Paul's howl and how it took us forever to realize Quil knew something all along but literally couldn't tell us.

Sam was snarling now and his ears were flat against his skull. His eyes locked on Jayden and the only thought coherent in his mind was to kill. He told the pack of what I had shared and they soon reacted the same.

Leah's head snapped at Sam and locked eyes with him. She shook her head slowly and mouthed, "don't."

"So I know you've all been searching day in and day out for Claire's whereabouts," Jayden said. "I felt for you all, really, I did. And if it weren't for Leah's persistence of getting me to return little Claire home, she would still be back at my place."

The motherfucker was chuckling.

"Asshole," Leah cursed under her breath. I smiled. Jayden didn't find it as amusing.

_God, I missed her potty mouth! _Embry whined.

"Ah yes, Leah, be a doll and stand next to me, please. You too Demetria," Jayden said, gesturing her with his hands.

"No."

"Not a problem," Jayden grinned, turning swiftly on his heels. "I'll come to you. I always do."

She made gagging noises.

I growled loudly and lifted my paw but was stopped by Carter giving me a warning look. He gestured to my paw and shook his head. I retreated and stood stiffly next to Sam.

I watched as Jayden and Demetria each took a side by Leah. I saw Leah struggle to free her arm of Jayden's tight grip that was around her wrist and nearly lost it.

_She's MINE! _I roared.

"Since I so graciously brought Claire back to you all, I figured I'd give you all an extra show," Jayden announced with glee. "Demetria, if you will."

"No," Leah gasped, she backed away from Demetria but was locked in Jayden's arms. "Please, don't!"

"Don't. Move." Carter said slowly to us. Every single instinct was telling us to charge at these leeches and save Leah, but how could we if we can't see? Or hear? Or feel?

"Aunty Leah!" Claire cried, in Quil's arms.

"Don't kill her!" Quil begged, hiding Claire's face in his chest. "Please, don't kill her!"

Seth was whining in desperation. I could feel the fear from every wolf in the air.

"I'm not going to kill her, you moron," Jayden snapped. Quil let out a breath of relief as did the rest of us.

"Seth," Leah whimpered with trembling lips. "Take care of mom. And yourself."

Seth ran at Leah but immediately came to a halt when all his senses went void. He dropped to the ground and howled in agony.

"Look at me, Leah," Demetria said, roughly grabbing Leah's face and turning it toward her.

Demetria started mumbling something far too low to hear. Whatever she was saying was making Leah sob and Jayden smile in satisfaction. I could see tears rolling down Leah's face now.

"Let me tell you what's gonna go down," Jayden said. "Demetria is gonna work her magic, Leah won't remember any of you, and she and I will finally be where we're supposed to be."

_No, _Sam breathed.

Paul and Jared ran at Jayden but just like Seth, were immediately stopped when they're vision – I'm assuming – was blurred by Carter.

"Jake," Leah whispered through her tears. "I love you."

My breath caught and I couldn't stay put any longer. I launched myself at Jayden but was met with darkness midair. I landed on the ground with no sense of where I was. I snarled loudly. I phased back, not giving a flying fuck in the world that I was naked.

"Carter, don't be a little bitch! Give me my goddamn eyesight!" I growled.

I heard multiple whines from both packs and 5 long howls.

I saw the world slowly get clearer. I focused my eyes on the outline of Leah's body and studied her face until my vision became clear.

I recoiled at the empty and blank look in her eyes.

"Leah," I choked.

She cocked her head in confusion and answered in a blank tone, "No."

"No, please no," I begged in desperation. "Lee, you have to remember. It's me, Jacob? Remember? Jacob Black? You gotta remember, baby…"

"She's mine, Jacob," Jayden growled.

I snapped. I didn't care if Carter was going to take my senses away. If I have to literally fight in a blind rage, I will. I charged at them again and I saw the rest of the guys follow suit. Before any of us could sink our teeth into one of them, they disappeared.

Every single one of them.

"What the fuck!" I screamed, outraged. I went to the nearest tree and began to punch it repeatedly to get my fury out. I felt tears stinging my eyes but I didn't even care at this point. Blood was starting to drip down my arms and Claire was crying loudly.

"Jake," Sam said softly, pulling me away from the tree. "Stop."

"She told me she loves me and they go and take away her memories!" I roared.

Why can't I ever get a break with women? First Bella and now Leah? Why is it always leeches that get in the way of everything? Leah tells me she loves me and her memories are taken away. Was this the sacrifice Taha Aki was talking about? Because it's sure as hell obvious that Jayden won't kill her. Leah has to sacrifice everything and everyone she knows to save us? Where's the justice in that? Why can't Leah ever get a break?

"I love her too, Sam," I said in a strained voice. "I love her, too, and I didn't get to fucking tell her."

"Jake," Quil called.

"What?" I snapped, whipping my head toward him.

"We need to go to the Cullens now!"

"Go to them yourself," I growled. I didn't want to go anywhere. All I want to do is to find Leah and do everything possible to get her to remember me.

"No, Jake! Look!" he yelled in frustration, holding up an old piece of paper that was torn at the side. "This is the cure!"

"What?" Sam asked, his eyes widening.

"Claire said Carter told her that once they leave, she had to give this to us," Quil said.

We all gathered around Quil and studied the paper he was holding up. Seth barked out in excitement and looked to me with hopeful eyes. I knew then that I wasn't the only one who would walk through hell and back just go find Leah. Seth wouldn't think twice about it. Come to think of it, I don't think any of the guys would.

"When Leah and Edward were looking for loophole in the prophecy, they found that there was a page in the middle of the journal that was ripped out. I think this is it!" Quil exclaimed.

"We have to go to the Cullens," Sam said. "I think Edward and Carlisle can help. Maybe even Jasper."

I was shocked. Sam doesn't just willingly go to the Cullens. What is more shocking is that he wants to go to them to seek their _help. _That doesn't happen _ever._

"Let's go." And with a new-found set of hope and the strong determination to bring back one of our own, we set off toward Cullen territory.

**a/n**: Heeeeey! So this chapter was pretty long. Well, to me it was lol. And because it's so long, there are probably a few typos and whatnot I missed when I reread it. Ignore them, I swear I'm not just dumb lol. Anyway, please review and lemme know what you think!

Oh, and by the wayyyy. It's finals week for me and I am stressing the hell out. But I couldn't let you lovely people down, so I managed to squeeze in some time to post new chapters to all 3 of my stories! Hollaaaa!


	31. Time to Relocate

**IMPORTANT A/N**: Okay, so before you read this chapter, I just have to explain something to you all before you all end up confused and whatnot. So last chapter Leah lost her memory because of that dirty skank Demetria. Basically, Jayden came up with a whole story of where Leah came from and why she's with Jayden and Carter. Leah believes she is from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. So instead of being Quileute, Leah is convinced she is a Lakota. And because she doesn't know of her Quileute heritage, she is not aware of her shape-shifting abilities. She knows that Jayden and Carter are vampires, but because she has been supposedly travelling around the United States for 2 years with them with not a single scratch on her, she trusts them. Hopefully that clears any confusion once you start reading. Enjoy! =)

**LPOV**

"Jayden," I called quietly.

"What's up, babe?" he asked, smiling sweetly at me.

There was something so strange about Jayden. His words and his actions seemed to always be sincere. I could tell that he genuinely cared for me. He and Carter are all that I know, but there is something so far away about him. So cold. His smile, although it reaches his eyes, brings chills down my spine for some reason. I should feel safe because he always takes such good care of me and has proven that he will not harm me, but I can't shake this feeling that I shouldn't let my guard down.

"Who were those men today? The naked ones with the wolves?"

The men today in the clearing looked so scared. I saw the fear that was evident on all of their faces. Even the massive wolves looked so fearful. I should have been the one fearful of my life with a pack of giant wolves surrounding me, Jayden, Carter, and their friend - I think her name was Demetria – but I wasn't. There was this warmth that surrounded the wolves and the naked men. Yeah, I am well aware that I shouldn't feel this comfortable with a couple of strangers who don't wear clothes and large animals, but for some apparent reason, they made me feel this sense of security that I never feel when I'm with Jayden.

"Just a couple of trouble makers, baby, don't worry about them," Jayden answered gruffly.

"Why were some of them naked? And why were there wolves? And why are the wolves so big?" I asked, truly curious. Wolves don't normally grow that large, right? That's not possible. And the man that called out my name before Jayden took us away, the tallest man there, he was so familiar. The way he looked at me! I didn't think someone could look so compassionate and compelling as he did. I had no idea who he was or how he knew my name, so when a "no" slipped from my lips, I felt the slightest pull tugging at my heart when I saw his face drop into one of agony.

Why did that man look so broken? Who is he and how does he know me?

Jayden growled and chose to ignore me, so Carter spoke up instead, "I can answer that."

"The large wolves we saw are shape-shifters, Leah. The naked men you saw today have the ability to shift into wolves. They are from the Quileute tribe in La Push, Washington. All of them live on the reservation." Carter answered in a monotonous tone. I noticed that ever since we left the group of Quileute men in the clearing, Carter has downright refused to look me in the eye. The only time I've caught him looking at me was when he didn't think I saw him from either my peripherals or a reflection. When he was looking at me, he always looked troubled and I didn't know what to think about it.

"So you two and your friend are vampires and those Quileute men are shape-shifters. Okay, I got it. Do you think I can talk to their elders? I'd love to know more about their tribe, I bet it's a lot different from my people."

"Don't bother," Jayden said crossly. "You're a Lakota, you're a lot better than them."

"I still wanna know more about their tribe, though!" I said eagerly. When I left South Dakota I left everything I knew; my people – though my memories of them are very hazy – and my family, who for some reason, have become a huge blur in my mind. I was so thankful to have run into Jayden and Carter because they helped me out a lot. I travelled with them throughout the U.S. and somehow ended up near a reservation in Washington.

Jayden smiled, but it was more like a sneer, making Carter roll his eyes.

"Leah, we," he gestured to Carter and himself, "are your people. You don't need them."

"Well whatever, I'll see them around some other time." It was a statement that I very well planned on pursuing.

"I wish I could shift into a wolf," I said, suddenly.

"And why," Jayden growled, "would you want that?"

Carter was smirking. "The speed! Think about it, Jay! Imagine running through the forest with not a care in the world!"

"I already do that," he said, sounding smug.

"Imagine running as a wolf though! Or with a whole pack! Just think of how cool and in sync all the wolves would be. Wouldn't you want to feel the earth as you fly across it and feel the wind through your hair – er, fur?"

"So you're saying you want to be a dog?" Jayden asked incredulously.

"No," I said exasperated. "I'm just saying shifting into a wolf every once in a while would be legit."

"Being a vampire is legit," he stated.

"Drinking blood is gross. Plus, I don't wanna have freaky red eyes like you and Carter."

Carter coughed to hide a laugh as Jayden's eyes blazed.

"Stubborn as always," Jayden said lowly. "Maybe you've been inside for too long. How 'bout we go out tonight?"

"Really? Where?"

I got that feeling again. That feeling of uneasiness. It was stupid of me to even feel this way because I've known Jayden for 2 years and he's been nothing but a good friend to me. I pushed away the nervousness I was feeling and embraced Jayden with open arms. He's offering to take me out, why should I refuse? He's trying to get me to ease up.

"How about Alaska? You've always wanted to go there, right? Let's get away from this rainy hellhole." The offer sounded so good. I didn't like the rainy weather here, it was so dull. But the open space and all the scenery was breathtaking and made all of the dreadful weather worthwhile.

"It's a little too soon for travelling, don't you think?" Carter asked quickly with narrowed eyes.

"I think now is a perfect time to travel," Jayden snorted. "The sooner the better." While I thought Washington was an interesting and beautiful place, Jayden seemed to loathe everything about it.

"Where will you stay? You have nowhere to go in Alaska," Carter said accusingly.

"I'll figure something out along the way," Jayden shrugged.

"Maybe we should wait a while before you get everything planned out, Jay," I suggested, attempting to ease the tension that was brewing between the two vampires.

"Yeah, _Jay,_ you should wait until you have everything figured out," Carter said in a tight voice, his nostrils flaring.

"This doesn't concern you, dick. Run along now, go find Demetria or something." Jayden was smirking and had a look of triumph upon his face. How can someone treat their supposed best friend in such a way? I will never understand these two; one minute they're getting along then they're exchanging death threats the next. So weird.

"You two fight like an old couple," I huffed, rolling my eyes.

"No worries, babe, he'll be gone soon," Jayden cooed reassuringly. Carter snorted.

"Don't be an ass, Jay," I frowned. "Carter, wanna come with us to Alaska?"

"He's not-" Jayden started, but was cut off by Carter.

"You know what? I would love that," Carter grinned. I openly stared at Carter because this is the first time in what felt like an eternity that I've seen him smile! He looked so much younger when he smiled, not that he was old-looking to begin with, his youth just sort of shines forth when he smiles.

"What?" Jayden growled through gritted teeth.

"I said, I would love to go," he clarified, smiling mockingly at Jayden. "I'm just gonna go into town to grab some new clothes to wear, I need to change out of this filth. I'll be back in time to leave with you two."

He turned on his heel and left before either Jayden and I could respond.

"Why are you so mean to him?" I asked, watching his reaction in curiosity.

For the last two years I've been roaming the U.S. with Jayden and Carter, I've noticed that they did indeed have a good friendship but lately Jayden has shown a more irate side of him that's been bothersome to me. Maybe his attitude lately is what's causing me to feel uneasy around him. Yeah, that's got to be it. Why else would I feel the need to keep my guard up?

"He's a prick," Jayden snorted, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

"He's your best friend," I argued.

"You're my best friend," he said seriously, caressing my face. "You're all I need, Leah."

Why did I feel so empty when he said such loving words to me? Why did those words do nothing but make me want to backtrack a few steps away from him? I had nothing to fear with Jayden. He was caring - he's been taking excellent care of me - he's funny – the things he says to rile up Carter is undeniably amusing at times – he's tender – the way he looks at me and touches me is enough to let anyone know that the guy cares deeply for me – and he's faithful – fsor the past two years that I've been travelling with Jayden and Carter, Jayden has expressed interest in me and only me. It was like I was the only girl on the planet, and like any other girl, I was flattered. I still am actually. Most girls would be reeling at a guy as gorgeous as Jayden, but not me. Why not me? Why couldn't I just fall for him like a normal girl? He was already treating me like I were his girlfriend, and even if we aren't technically "together," he still acts like the perfect boyfriend.

What's my problem?

"Jay," I say quietly, "He's you're best friend too. Don't mess up your friendship with Carter over me."

He just looked at me with those piercing red eyes that should have sent me running in the other direction, but the blue lining in them kept me captivated. He tilted his head ever so slightly and moved slowly toward my face. I quickly wrapped my arms around his torso and leaned my head on his chest to avoid the kiss. I wasn't ready for that yet. If I were to kiss Jayden, it'll be because I share the same feelings he does. I will not be the girl who leads a guy on and unexpectedly drops a bomb on them. Not cool.

He let out a long sigh and wrapped his arms around my frame.

"Jay," I sighed. "I'm gonna let you cool off for a few minutes, okay? Why don't you go for a swim or run to clear your head?"

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding. "I'll do that. You should get some rest, it's been a long day."

"You read my mind," I laughed, untangling my arms from him. "I'm exhausted."

"I know, baby," he smiled and kissed my forehead. "Get some rest."

He left with a satisfied smile on his face and I laid on the hard surface, closing my eyes.

* * *

"It's Carter," I heard someone say.

I opened one eye to see who it was and saw Carter standing a few feet away from me in a corner darting his eyes at all corners of the cave.

"Listen, Edward, I know the last thing you want to do is to trust me, but I'm your best shot at getting her back," Carter hissed into the phone.

I could barely make out the sound of the voice on the other line and gave up trying to hear what they were saying.

"We're going to Alaska tonight, I don't know what part. I'll let you know once we get there. Just try your hardest to figure it out, okay? I don't know how long I can keep stalling."

Stalling? What was Carter talking about? And who is this Edward guy he's talking to? Was Jayden friends with him too?

"Look, Cullen, I don't care what the dogs have to do, just tell them to do it. The longer you wait, the more difficult it is to reverse Demetria's power. Just-just hurry up. I'll call and update you later tonight."

He ran a hand through his hair and threw a boulder-sized rock into the water forcefully in frustration. I shut my eyes tightly when he turned and faced my direction. I heard his footsteps getting closer until I felt his breath fan my face. His cold fingers brushed the hair out of my face and tucked it behind my right ear.

"I made you a promise and I have every intention of keeping it. This is for every soul that has been lost to him."

**a/n**: Hey, readers! I'm really sorry for being a bit late with my update. A lot of things have just been going on lately this week. There was a shooting at a mall that I go to every once in a while. It shook the city of Portland because none of us ever expected anything like that to happen in our city, let alone a mall, and especially during the holidays! And to top it off, there was the Connecticut shooting that just recently occurred. My heart aches for the lost souls of all of the innocent children and faculty members that are now deceased. I just can't even imagine all of the pain and fear the families of all these people have been feeling. I just hope that these shooting sprees stop.


End file.
